The Dark Days
by Interface
Summary: A broken heart and a broken spirit. This is how the Doctor came to live his lonely life upon a cloud.
1. Chapter 1

**The dark days**

_A broken heart and a broken spirit. This is how the Doctor came to live his lonely life upon a cloud_

* * *

**Chapter 1: Where to start?**

River had been the last to leave him that night. He'd dropped her off at the edge of the University campus that she had once attended. 'Unfinished business' she'd told him when he'd questioned her about her choice of drop off place. She'd pressed a kiss firmly against his lips, sworn to him that they'd meet again 'soon' and after a whisper of love she'd turned and skipped off into the darkness. He'd promised himself that he wouldn't cry; and despite himself, he had managed to hold off the tears until she was gone. Alone now he slid down the Tardis doors, the endless onslaught of tears streaked his face. He sobbed, helplessly and hopelessly alone in his console room. The Doctor cried and cried until he could cry no more. When he awoke he was still in a heap at the doors of the Tardis. Sniffing, he looked around the deserted console room; still alone.

For reasons unbeknown to him his legs managed to walk him to the controls. He sighed, a long heavy, tired sigh. Leaning over the panel he closed his eyes. The Ponds had been his world. They'd been his everything, his reason to exist in this endless tumultuous life. Silence surrounded him. Silence. The thing that had followed him his whole life since he'd come to exist in this body.

"Silence," he muttered, "Silence, will, fall," he shook his head, he could feel the building emotion, he was hurting, and he wasn't done yet, "Silence. Silence will fall," he lashed out wildly, kicking hard at the stubbornly faithful machine's console, "_Well silence has fallen now!_" he yelled at the universe, "_It's fallen! It's over! It's done! Are. You. Happy. Now!?_" The poor console accepted its relentless beating as the Time Lord's fury unleashed itself within the control room. He was angry, so angry. Nothing would slow his beating hearts as they raged to the point of almost bursting out of his chest. The machinery yielding to his temper sparked and broke under the strain. Nothing in the universe could stand up to the fury of a Time Lord; especially one as broken as the Doctor. An electrical surge powered through his body as he beat his fist down to further dent the control panel closest to him. The Doctor was thrown across the control room by the small explosion, finally skidding to come to rest on the glass floor. His muscles twitched as he lay there, clothes singed and smoking, completely unconscious.

With what functions remained online the Tardis operated the dematerialisation lever and limped itself back to Earth. History told the damaged machine that it was the only place able to heal a wounded Time Lord. Especially this Time Lord, wounded in his own, sad and unique way.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2:  
**

The Doctor sat amongst his chaos. He couldn't find the strength inside himself to clamber out of the painful depths of his despair. He couldn't see anything but the last desperate, tear filled expression of his precious Amelia Pond. In his mind he'd come up with a million ways in which the life of Rory Williams could have been saved without having to lose his wonderful Pond. Every plan ended with the same heart stopping realisation that it was simply too late. Yet another tear slid down his cheek, he'd reached the point where he no longer bothered to wipe them away. He'd promised himself that he'd never lose her the way he'd lost so many before her. It seemed that the couple from Leadworth had now been added to the endless list of the Time Lord's broken promises. The Doctor curled his fingers around the singed material of his bow tie; and pulled. He dropped the length of material to the floor, he couldn't bear to look at it any more. He couldn't bring himself to wear it any longer. It represented all that he'd promised to the universe, all that he used to be, all that he couldn't be any more.

He was unsure of exactly how long he sat on the floor of the Tardis but judging by intensity of the pins and needles in his legs it must have been a long time. The Doctor's ancient eyes for the first time noticed how crippled the Tardis was. He rose unsteadily to his feet. It took a moment or two to realise that his temper had caused the extensive damage to his most faithful friend in the whole universe. He strode his bow legged stride all the way back up to the console units. His fingertips traced every scar he'd mercilessly left, "I'm sorry," he told the great old time machine. The silence that responded was positively deafening. He wouldn't have blamed her if she'd kicked him out into a supernova and let him burn for all the pain he'd so visibly caused her. Wrapped up in his own despair he hadn't realised how volatile and dangerous he could be when he was out of control. No one ever got to see this side of him, no one had ever known exactly how deep the rage, anger and sorrow ran through him. Not a single soul knew of the negativity that polluted his mind underneath his breathtakingly happy exterior. He'd tried so hard to suppress the part of himself that he always feared would be unleashed. The part of himself that many times had tried to rise up, to fog his mind, and cloud his judgement. But here he was, at the surface at last.

As long as he remained inside the Tardis it would be unable to begin its repair cycle. The Doctor tried once more to apologise to her but she remained silent, ignoring his efforts, "I didn't mean to," he whispered sadly before accepting the fact that he would most likely need to work much harder for forgiveness. The Doctor shuffled his way to the door sadly. He wanted to look back, he really did, but his stomach turned every time his eyes fell upon what he'd done. Silently he opened the door and slipped out.

* * *

It was film night at 13 Paternoster Row. After another case had been successfully solved, Madame Vastra had yielded to Jenny's request that they have a quiet night in and watch films that had yet to become a twinkle in the universe's eye. Strax had complained of course, primitive human entertainment would be an insult to his great Sontaran heritage. This had inevitably resulted in the Nurse being given the weekend off to venture north where he preferred to engage in combat with the aggressive locals up there. The hologram screen Vastra had managed to acquire was impressively large, so large that they'd had to push the sofa back all the way across the room just so they could see it without their neck's aching. While Vastra played around with the device trying to achieve a good signal Jenny had made a large bowl of popcorn. She held the bowl in one hand and ate a few sneaky pieces on her way back to join Vastra. She froze when she re-entered the room. Vastra was knelt down, utterly engrossed in her task, oblivious to the world around her. Stood not even a few feet away from her, at the side of the blue box that had been occupying their living room for the past fortnight was a tall dark figure. Jenny couldn't help her shock and much to her embarrassment screamed the most high pitched girly scream as popcorn rained down on her usually perfectly kept carpet. Vastra turned at the sound and followed instantly the direction in which her usually calm Jenny was pointing. She rose up swiftly, in the shadows beside the phone box she could see clearly now the outline of a person.

"Show yourself," she demanded of the darkness. After a silent moment or two she spoke once more, "I will not tell you again" She braced herself seeing the figure begin to move. She was visibly stunned to see the bedraggled Doctor step into the light coming from the fireplace, "Doctor?" He looked terrible. What on earth had happened to him? "Doctor are you alright? What's happened?" The Silurian stared open mouthed at him as he shook his head and babbled complete nonsense at her, "Jenny my dear, I think a cup of tea for the Doctor is in order," As the girl fled the room crunching popcorn beneath her feet as she went Madame Vastra guided the Time Lord to sit on the sofa. She'd never seen him like this. It wasn't easy to shock the brave Silurian warrior, but today the Doctor had managed it. Her worried blue eyes scanned him, his clothes were singed and blackened, his hair was a mess, his eyes were puffy, and his expression was completely vacant, "Doctor, have you been in there this whole time?" He didn't reply, perhaps he couldn't speak? He was in a very bad way after all, "Your Tardis has been stood silent in here for two weeks, we tried to gain entry but it was locked. We assumed you weren't in, or that you'd call when you required it. Doctor if I'd have known that you were home this whole time…" He voice trailed off as he turned his head to look at her.

"They're gone," he told her with a whisper. His words shook as he spoke them, his voice broke with the effort. Vastra knew that he didn't mean to be so vague, she felt terrible for not immediately knowing who he was talking about.

"Who are gone?" she asked at last. The rattling of the tea tray eased her mild discomfort, Jenny was better at understanding and dealing with human emotions.

"The Ponds are gone" As Jenny set the tray down the Doctor broke down into a flood of sobs. Vastra looked up to her startled maid, her eyes pleading for the young girl to help; to do something, anything. Crying Time Lords were way beyond anything Vastra had been trained to cope with. Jenny pulled her hanky from her pocket and moved to sit on the other side of the Doctor. He took the small square of material from her the moment she offered it out to him. Jenny rubbed his back, his body shook as the sobs continued their onslaught.

"It's okay," she told him over and over, "It'll be okay"

It took many hours to calm the Time Lord and to draw from him the full story of what had occurred. Vastra had been disgusted at hearing how the Weeping Angels had been harvesting humans. Since when had they become so disgracefully bold that they dared to steal time energy on such a massive scale? She sympathised with the Doctor, and found herself to be as equally frustrated by the fragility of the era now unable to accommodate one more visit from the Tardis. The Doctor now stared blankly up at the ceiling, behind his back Jenny stifled a yawn, her eyes passed over the clock on the mantelpiece, it was now already long past two in the morning. In her effort to keep focused she poured the Doctor another cup of tea, putting it into his hands she could just see Vastra's head bobbing up and down by the doorway. The Silurian had actually offered to clean up the array of popcorn decorating the floor of the living room, leaving an exhausted Jenny to handle the emotionally volatile Time Lord.

It was another twenty minutes before Vastra returned to the living room. The fire was almost out now, and only a low glow was visible. She could see her poor Jenny's eyes struggling to stay open. The girl was surprised to see Vastra offer her hand to her. She looked to the Doctor beside her, he was sound asleep, his head resting on the back of the sofa; next to him sat his empty tea cup. Jenny smiled at the prospect of finally being able to fall into her soft comfortable bed. She readily accepted Vastra's hand, the woman pulled her easily up to her feet. The Silurian pressed a cool kiss against her sleepy maid's forehead, "You did wonderfully my dear," she told her with a whisper leading her out into the hallway.

* * *

When she finally slid between the sheets of their bed Jenny found herself unable to sleep, she stared up at the ceiling. Beside her Vastra watched her intently, "Are you alright my dear? Is something on your mind" Jenny held her hand out; which Vastra obediently took hold of with a small squeeze.

"I've never seen anyone as heartbroken as that"

"Heartbreak can be a burden to us all, pity the man who has two" Jenny shuffled onto her side to face Vastra.

"I don't think it's got anythin' to do with 'ow many 'earts you've got," she reached up to stroke the smooth scales of Vastra's cheek, "It's abou' 'ow much wha' you've lost meant to you"

Vastra smiled at her wise little Jenny, she held her close until her loving human fell asleep in her arms.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

When Vastra awoke she immediately found herself groping at the other side of the bed. As usual it was already cool and well made, with not even a hint that Jenny had ever been there. She sighed and lay staring up the ceiling before her. She had not anticipated the Doctor's arrival, nor had she ever expected the man turn up anything less than his usual happy self. After following her morning ritual Madame Vastra made her way downstairs in search of Jenny. It didn't take long to find her, stood in the living room, eyes transfixed on the Doctor. He was still sat on the sofa, leaning forward, his hands clasped together between his knees, "'e 'asn't moved all mornin'," Jenny informed the Silurian sensing her presence behind her, "Think 'e's alright?" Vastra gently nudged the maid out of the way and moved to crouch before the Doctor, her eyes searched his for a something, anything, to suggest that he was okay. He stared right through her, he didn't even flinch. Finally, a tear leaked down his face. The Doctor sniffed, his eyes coming back into focus on the Silurian. Vastra put a firm hand on his shoulder and gave it a gentle squeeze. As she rose she turned back to the concerned looking Jenny.

"The Doctor will be quite alright my dear" Jenny nodded though she found it hard to believe that anyone in that state would ever be alright again. She reluctantly left Vastra stood beside the silent Time Lord and scuttled off to the kitchen, "Doctor," The Silurian wasn't so sure now that she'd begun speaking that anything she wanted to say was going to come out right. After a long few moments she merely decided on, "I'm sorry"

* * *

The smell of food filling the house was enough to make anyone's mouth water; but not the Doctor's; not today. He stared at the pattern of the carpet, absentmindedly chewing his bottom lip slowly. She was still there. Floating around in his mind. Any minute he was certain, she would burst out of the Tardis in one of her Scottish rages, demanding to know why he'd ignored her for so long. As the moments ticked by this scenario became more and more of a ghost, fading until it became lost amongst all other thoughts his mind conjured up. He could hear something, a muffled voice, he could barely make out what it was saying. It became louder, 'Doctor'. His heart skipped for a second, was that Amy's voice? 'Doctor' He could feel fingers around his arm, if this was Amy, then he should allow himself to be moved. Maybe she'd come for him, then yes, yes, he'd definitely allow himself to be led away. His eyes, barely focused, could see a figure dressed in white and black leading him slowly down a short corridor. 'Doctor, you alright?' Wait, that wasn't a Scottish accent, it was a Cockney accent. As the Doctor felt himself being sat down in a hard chair he became suddenly aware of the real world around him. Staring across the table at Madame Vastra he realised that he had been led here not by Amelia Pond, but by Jenny Flint, "'e needs to eat something" he could hear her say. A plate was set down in front of him, the freshly prepared hot breakfast was steaming away. The Doctor turned his head and pushed it across the table. It looked delicious, but it was no fish fingers and custard.

Vastra watched the Time Lord curiously. He seemed to be bobbing around in a reality of his own. She watched the plate move as he pushed it away. She hoped for a moment that Jenny wouldn't be offended. She shook the thought quickly away, the Doctor was clearly very ill, no one could possibly be offended by his actions at this time, "Doctor, you really should eat something," Jenny lowered herself into one of the chairs, she too, watched him with curious interest. The Doctor looked between the two women. He withdrew from his pocket a pair of rounded spectacles. After one last sharp glare at Vastra, he put them on, folded his arms across his chest and simply retreated back into his thoughts. The pair looked to each other, neither one really understanding what had just occurred. Between them, they spoke quietly, in hushed voices.

"Jenny, I have a case tonight…" Vastra began.

"Don' you dare leave me 'ere with 'im like tha'" Jenny's accent thickened in her fear that she'd be left alone with a crazy Time Lord.

"The Doctor is not dangerous my dear. He has suffered losses, he is hurting, but he is not a danger to you"

Jenny's eyes flickered over the unmoving Time Lord, "Oh Ma'am if you must go then please don' be gone long" Vastra smiled at her worried Jenny, the girl was actually more than capable of handling herself should situations escalate. If anything, Vastra was more concerned for the Doctor's safety if he made any sudden movements that panicked the maid into action, "Maybe 'e just needs to talk to another bloke" No sooner had the words left her mouth the kitchen door burst open and there stood before them, was Commander Strax.

"Did someone call for a '_man_' one?"

"You're home early Strax, I didn't expect you for another few hours," Vastra watched him closely as the Sontaran caught sight of the Doctor.

"It seems that only a few humans had recovered from last week's defeat. The battle therefore, was cancelled," the Commander approached the Time Lord, frowning at both the state of him and at the ridiculous spectacles he was donning, "Madame is it alright?" Strax watched the Time Lord with a mixture of suspicion and confusion all topped off with a hint of disgust. How could a noble creature such as a Time Lord show such a weakness to the world around him. Every single specimen that came into contact with him would have an immediate strategic advantage. He was about to point this out to the sullen creature when Vastra interrupted him.

"We have a case tonight Strax" Having been trusted comrades for a long time now the Silurian had grown accustomed to identifying when Strax was about to say something inappropriate. The Sontaran was secretly grateful of his imminent leave from the Doctor, the pitiful creature. He nodded briefly at the Silurian muttering 'Yes Madame' and went on his way to ready both himself and the carriage. It was going to take him a long while to find a replacement horse on such short notice. Vastra had long stopped asking him why the horse was different every time they rode out together, which he was grateful of, as he was fast running out of excuses.

* * *

As evening approached and darkness began to fall the Doctor still had not eaten, he still had not spoken, and he still had not moved. After transferring him back to the sofa, this time with Strax to aid her, Jenny had simply cleaned and tidied and dusted around the perfectly still Time Lord. She was now just handing Vastra her cloak in the hallway, "Do you 'ave to go tonight?" she knew it was futile to ask again, but she tried all the same. Her wife simply pressed a kiss against her forehead with a smile.

"It is one night my dear. There's no need to wait up for me, when you wake tomorrow I'll be beside you. It will be like I was never away" Jenny looked sceptically up at Vastra. Tonight would not be a normal night, of that she was certain; especially with the Doctor not keeping her company in the house.

"Be safe," she said at last, "I love you" Vastra responded with another firm kiss on the girl's forehead before raising her hood and stepping out into the dark streets of London. Jenny stood at the door as the carriage rolled away; and remained there until she could no longer hear the sound of the horse's hooves on the cobbles. Her mind drifted back to the Time Lord still sat silently on the sofa. It was around about now that Jenny would normally ensure that the fire was as well-lit as possible before settling down with one of the many books that Vastra had acquired for her. Such an evening was not going to be possible, as she had to remain focused and make sure that the Doctor was okay. She watched him from the doorway, he still wore the spectacles he'd put on at breakfast. His jacket lay forgotten over the arm of the sofa, she didn't remember seeing him take it off. Perhaps Madame had helped him out of it earlier in the day. Though her instincts screamed against it, Jenny moved to crouch down before the Doctor, he never moved, he never blinked; he just stared through her. Jenny could see where the ill-fitting glasses were cutting into his nose. Without even thinking she reached up with both hands and slid them from his face. In a sharp second he'd grabbed her left wrist firmly. Jenny winced under the pressure and looked up at him, his eyes were upon her, they were seeing her as they hadn't done before. With his other hand he took the frames from her grasp and slid them back onto his face. The small maid looked back to where he still had a firm hold on her wrist, as if reading her mind he released her; not even looking up as she fled the room. He sat back, his eyes watched the dancing flames in the fireplace, their moves reflected in his lenses. The Doctor could just hear the slam of a door upstairs before he sank back down into the darkness of his mind.

* * *

Jenny sat on her bed, rubbing her sore wrist, her eyes fiercely watching the closed door. 'O' 'e's not dangerous is 'e?' she grumbled to herself. Wait until Vastra got home, she'd sit up and wait for that damn Lizard all night if she had to. She was never going to be left alone with that man ever again, she didn't care how upset he was. The pain he'd caused just by snatching at her was unforgivable. The angry maid actually managed to keep her eyes open until one thirty that morning. In a fatal move that she'd regret when she awoke Jenny allowed her head to touch the pillow – she slept instantly.


	4. Chapter 4

_I don't usually post two chapters on the same day, but it's been 'one of those days' which has somehow resulted in this chapter_ ~Interface

* * *

**Chapter 4**

Jenny jerked awake suddenly; she'd had the most horrendous nightmare. The end of which had seen her wife being killed by the raging fury of the Time Lord now residing downstairs. Upset by her dream but still groggy in a sleepy stupor, Jenny trudged through the connecting door into the bathroom they shared. The maid blindly proceded through her morning ritual of washing and dressing. She loved the minty feeling of the toothpaste which had yet to be invented. She grinned at herself in the mirror as she tied up her hair neatly with a black ribbon. She was certain that she had the best set of teeth in the whole of London. She pondered for a moment, she was probably the only person in London who still owned all of her own teeth. Paused on that thought she shrugged and turned to leave the bedroom. She suddenly realised that Vastra was not curled up in bed as she normally was when Jenny rose early. If Jenny didn't know any better she would have assumed that the Silurian had merely risen before her; but Jenny knew her wife much better than that. The Lizard woman never rose early after a night of chasing and most likely devouring criminals. Still, until she confirmed that Vastra wasn't anywhere else in the house, Jenny couldn't bring herself to prematurely panic. With a last glance over the neat bed sheets she made her way gleefully downstairs. She loved the mornings when all was quiet, she could get things done without falling over anyone. The air was always still cool and fresh from the previous night, it made every morning a complete pleasure. As she reached the doorway that led to where the Doctor resided she paused; and peered carefully around the door frame. He was still sat on the sofa, in the same position, except now he donned a clean white shirt, a pale grey waistcoat; and a freshly combed hair style. The Doctor looked completely clean and fresh, all brand new, but still very empty. He seemed to sense her presence and turned his head in her direction.

"Vastra and Strax didn't come home last night," he said quietly. The sentence hung in the air like death. Jenny's heart stopped instantly, her blood ran as cold as ice. She stared at the Doctor, he sat there so calmly, so wrapped up in his own self destruction that he didn't seem to care about anything else.

"We 'ave to go an' find 'em," she stammered edging further into the room. The Doctor could see clearly the finger mark bruises on her wrist, though he said nothing.

"Don't know where they are," he turned his face away from her, seeming to relax further into the sofa. Jenny couldn't believe her ears, not knowing where people were had never stopped the Time Lord from trying before. It had taken him months to locate Amy Pond at Demons Run. She and Vastra had followed him blindly into a battle that could so easily have cost them their lives. Jenny struggled to steady her breathing, she was incredibly furious with his lack of motivation to find Vastra and Strax.

"Ma'am 'as lots of case files in 'er study, one 'as to be related to where she went last night" The Doctor remained silent, still refusing now to look at her, which irritated the petite maid to no end. She turned on the spot, she had to leave, she had to get out of there. Jenny was going to strangle him if she had to look at him and his air of not caring any longer. She marched out into the hallway and her heart stopped all over again, the sword rack was full. Madame hadn't taken her blade with her on her case. If Jenny hadn't been distracting her with her concerns and declarations of love then maybe the Silurian would have remembered to take her faithful Katana. Inside Jenny was screaming, her exterior however, trembled silently. She was going to find her wife, with or without help from the Doctor.

Almost on the verge of tears Jenny tore through the case files stacked on Vastra's desk. Amongst them had to be a clue as where she was. Jenny's legs turned to jelly when a horrible thought washed over her. Both Vastra and Strax were highly trained alien warriors; what on Earth had managed to subdue _both_ of them? The distressed maid felt physically sick; she leant over the desk trying her hardest not vomit. How was she, fleshy human Jenny, supposed to rescue her wife and their comrade, when obviously neither of them must have been a match for whatever they'd discovered? She turned to leave the study, she screamed at the sight of the Doctor stood silhouetted in the doorway.

"Get dressed," he told her, his eyes scanned across the mess she'd made of Vastra's desk. Jenny stared at him blankly. The Doctor decided with a sigh to repeat himself, "Get. Dressed" Jenny shook her head slowly, looking down at herself utterly confused, she was already dressed.

"Where are we goin'?" she asked feebly.

The Doctor rolled his eyes as he moved to circle the desk, his hand carelessly brushing over the disordered case files, "To find them," he didn't look up at her as she watched him pick up a file and shake it for any loose pieces of paper. When she still didn't move after a few long moments he looked up suddenly causing her to flinch, "I recommend your waistcoat" He patted his own then returned his concentration to the files. Jenny fled the room leaving the Doctor alone, "Oh Vastra," he muttered letting a file drop to the floor, he peered down at the newspaper clipping staring back up at him, "You really should delete your history" At this flyaway comment he actually chuckled, it was amusing how he had in fact done the very same thing, deleted his own history, from the universe and all prying eyes. By the time he'd relived the process, reminded himself of his last fateful adventure and slid back down into his own personal hell, Jenny returned. She had, as he'd requested, put on her navy waistcoat and white shirt, the outfit was all finished off with her brown trousers. The ensemble relieved the Doctor's tension, she reminded him of Demons Run, of the time when he'd succeeded in finding his wonderful companion. He pointed at her and then grabbed at his own open collar, "What about your tie?" he asked, face full of confusion. The girl held it up in her hand claiming that she didn't particularly feel like wearing the length of material that always felt like it was strangling her. The Doctor dipped to the collect the file he'd selected from the floor and, as he pressed it into Jenny's grip, retrieved from her the tie. Hands now full of file she had no way of stopping him as he pulled her collar up sharply and proceeded to fasten the tie around her. 'But why the tie?' she'd asked him. "Because it's who you are," he'd replied quietly finishing off the knot. The Doctor stepped back from her and nodded his satisfaction.

"Wha' 'bout your bow tie? Why aren't you wearin' it?" The Doctor turned his back to her, selected two more files from the table and tucked them under his arm.

"Because that isn't who I am; not anymore" He shoved past her on his way out, leaving Jenny to stand alone for a moment lost in thought. She wasn't about to question his motives for aiding her; though a part of her really wanted to know why he'd suddenly emerged from his near comatose state. For some reason she felt incredibly silly for asking him about his missing item of clothing, but it was bizarre little quirks like that that made people who they were. The Doctor as she knew him, wasn't the Doctor without his bow tie. If he wasn't the Doctor as she'd come to know him, then what variety of Doctor was she about to embark on a rescue mission with? She looked down and caught sight of her bruised wrist, she nervously pulled her sleeve down as far as she could to hide it. If they did find Vastra, she'd surely eat the Doctor alive for causing harm to her darling wife. Jenny wasn't sure that she'd have the strength to stop an irate Silurian from attacking the Time Lord. She took one last look around Vastra's study; choking back the emotion that wanted to rise up and claim her. 'I'll find you' she silently promised before turning on her heel and pursuing the Doctor.

She found him at the doors to the Tardis. His forehead was pressed against the blue wood, his hands stroked the doorframe over and over, "Please," he begged of his lifelong friend, "Please let me back in. I swear to you, I won't lose my temper again," he clenched his eyes shut tightly and breathed, "I swear it"

While the Doctor pleaded with his Tardis Jenny stepped unnoticed back out into the hallway, she collected both Vastra's sword and her own from the rack. Holding the Silurian's weapon of choice somehow made her feel closer to her absent wife. She hugged it close to her; closing her eyes she rested her chin on the hilt, "Wherever you are," she promised aloud, "I'll find you an' bring you 'ome," she paused for a moment, her eyebrows furrowed though her eyes remained closed, "An' I'll be sure to leave a few notches in the bleedin' people wha' 'as taken you an' Strax" When she opened her eyes she could feel herself being watched, looking back over her shoulder she could see the Doctor leaning on the doorframe, shamelessly intruding on her private moment, "She let you in then?" Jenny opened the drawer beneath the sword rack and pulled out her leather gloves. The expression the Doctor wore to greet her as she turned didn't overwhelm her with confidence.

"We'll have to walk," he muttered.

They shared a silent stare-off for a short few moments before the small woman shrugged, "Fine" Jenny began to walk back into the Tardis occupied room; the Doctor stepped in her way, "Doctor!" she scolded, "I need to make sure the fire is out," she attempted to side step him but he blocked her once more with a small shuffle. He assured her quietly that 'The fire was definitely out'. The petite girl however was not going to be talked out of going through her usual motions of checking the house before leaving. She pushed him sharply out of her way stopping dead when she saw the exact thing that the Doctor had hoped she wouldn't see. His clothes were strewn about the room, almost all of them; including items from previous regenerations, scarves, trench coats, pin striped suits, his long purple coat and a vast array of bow ties, "Wha' the 'ell is all this?!" Jenny cried, her home, her pride and joy, was an absolute mess.

"She's kicked me out" The Time Lord confessed, "I'll clear it all away when we get back, let's just go eh? She's really unhappy with me right now" Jenny puffed her cheeks out in frustration; her grip tightened on her sword causing her knuckles to turn white. 'Calm down' she told herself, it was more important to focus on getting Vastra back than fussing over a bit of mess. She couldn't help but groan loudly as she eyed the mess one last time. The Doctor snatched up his purple coat throwing it on as he followed her quick march to the front door. As they stepped out the crisp morning air it took the Doctor's breath away; it was as if his body was feeling the glory of Earth's environment for the very first time. A shiver ran through his whole body; was this what it was like to feel everything? To feel reawakened? Alive again? He raised his hands out in front of him, wiggling his fingers slowly. His hyper-conductive nervous systems seemed to be aglow with a new lease of life. He looked up at Jenny's confused face and offered her, for the first time since he'd arrived, a weak smile. A faint but growing noise drew them out of their silent moment; the pair turned their heads towards the approaching clip-clopping of horse's hooves - It was Vastra's carriage.

Jenny's heart raced but the Doctor put an arm out to stop her from rushing to it. He stepped slowly down the front steps of Thirteen Paternoster Row to greet the carriage that stopped obediently right outside. The first thing the Doctor noted, was the lack of driver; he glanced back at Jenny following close behind him. His arm remained outstretched to protect the small assassin from whatever lurked inside the vehicle. The Doctor curled his fingers around the door handle slowly; it wasn't until he sighed did he realise that he'd actually been holding his breath. After taking a few more calming breaths and receiving one last encouraging nod from Jenny the Doctor tore the door open sharply - It was empty.

The Time Lord clambered immediately inside, scanning every surface, every corner, every nook and cranny with his sonic screwdriver. It wasn't until he popped his head back out through the open door with a defeated expression did Jenny realise that the carriage was a dead end. She silently hoped that it wasn't a literal dead end.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

They sat in silence amongst the Doctor's clothing. Jenny suddenly realised what it felt like to be in the Time Lord's shoes as she sat in the chair across from him staring blankly at the floor. Leaning against one arm of her chair were her swords; across the other arm, atop one of the Doctor's strewn shirts, lay her gloves. The Doctor watched her nervously from his position on the sofa, seeing Jenny Flint silently sat in a room of chaos and disarray; was a chilling sight. He repositioned himself, sat now on the very edge of his seat, leaning towards her, hands waving uselessly as they always did when he spoke, "It's not over yet," he told her, "We can find them" Jenny looked up at him; her glare halted all words the Time Lord had been about to speak.

"We 'aven't got any lead, we've go' nothin' bu' an empty carriage an' a few ol' files tha' aren't even related!" The Doctor could sense in her tone that Jenny Flint, had finally reached breaking point. He clasped his hands together, lent his elbows on his knees and promptly rested his chin atop his hands. The Doctor simply smiled across at her; watching as her temper boiled to the edge.

"Jenny," he murmured, "Jenny, Jenny, Jenny," He stood up suddenly and pointed out of the window at the carriage still stood on the street outside, "How did the horse know where to go? It didn't even have a driver"

"Well it's done the bleedin' trip enough times!"

"No" The turned and grinned at her, "It hasn't. Strax, he's, he's impatient, he's volatile. Always having to get a new horse when the old one '_stops working'_" The Doctor pointed once more at the creature outside, "_That_ horse has only been here, once before, yesterday evening. It would never have known how to find its way back here" Jenny rose instinctively to her feet, standing on her tip toes to see the beast from the window. She asked the Time Lord what on Earth he was suggesting, to which he replied, "Someone has sent us a taxi"

* * *

"Do you want the key putting under the plant pot?" The Doctor called from the top of the steps, Jenny turned back to him from where she had been loading the swords into the carriage. She screwed her face in complete disbelief; was he really this alien?

"No one actually does tha' Doctor. Especially not 'round 'ere" she beckoned for him to join her, "Jus' bring it with you"

At the bottom of the steps the Doctor twirled on the spot, hands stuffed deep into his pockets. He whistled a long loud note, "Quite lovely from the outside," he looked up at the three story home of his friends admiring every inch of the Victorian architecture. Jenny followed his line of vision; it was rare that she ever bothered to cast her gaze upon the exterior of their home. In Victorian London you learned to keep your head down and your eyes to the floor, especially when you ventured onto the streets dressed as a maid. Today however, Jenny wasn't dressed as a maid. She was now, as very few people knew her to be, the assassin Vastra had turned her into. She stole a glance at the Time Lord still admiring her home, why did the world always look so different when the Doctor was around? "Right then" The Doctor skidded to a stop just beside the open carriage doorway, he held his hand out politely, "After you my Lady," he insisted.

"Why thank you Sir," Jenny replied sarcastically completely ignoring his hand and clambering up inside in her own ungraceful boyish way. Before he followed her the Doctor took one last look back up at the living room window of Thirteen Paternoster Row, he could just about see the top of the Tardis, its beacon lit up with promises of wondrous adventures across the whole universe and beyond. He sighed before stepping up to join Jenny. He opted for the backwards facing seat; once the door was pulled tightly shut the horse seemed to burst into life and the carriage began its rickety journey towards the unknown.

* * *

He watched her intently, the determined young woman watched the scenery go by very carefully, making mental notes of when they took a left or a right turn, "You'll never remember the way," he told her, crossing his legs and stretching his arms over his head in a wide yawn. His comment had irritatingly burst the balloon of thought she'd been inflating with the many twists and turns on the carriage. Annoyed she turned finally to look at him.

"Why are you 'elpin' me?" The Doctor remained silent, letting the question hang in the air like a delicate mist. He shook his head, and puffed his cheeks out, his eyes she could see, were hunting for the answer.

"Because you tried to help me," he said at last, "A debt must always be repaid," the pointed his finger at her, "But then we're square, finished. I'm done"

"And wha' will you do then?"

"Retire" He replied almost before the question had fully left her lips, "I'm going to let the universe be. I ignore it, it ignores me. We all leave each other alone and nothing bad will ever happen, ever again" Jenny couldn't quite believe what she was hearing, he spoke of the universe as if they were equally matched opponents, old rivals even. She bit her lip, she was human; and had only ever ventured from London a handful of times since knowing Vastra. She'd seen, in comparison to the Time Lord, almost nothing of the universe. At that moment Jenny felt very inexperienced in being able to offer any words of wisdom to the Doctor but she decided to speak up anyway.

"I'm not sure the universe works like tha' Doctor"

"Tell that to the universe" Sulking, he turned his head to look out of the window. He wasn't really paying any attention to the passing landscapes, he instead found himself absentmindedly joining the dewy drops on the window with imaginary lines.

Jenny hated seeing people hurting, especially someone as wonderfully kind as the Doctor could be. As she watched him, she couldn't help but feel that it would be so easy for her to fall into the very same well of despair that he had. It would be so easy to end up joining him on his path to self-destruction if she ever had to lose Vastra as he had lost the Ponds. She could feel the knot tightening around her heart as her head betrayed her with the thought that maybe it was already too late for her wife. Maybe she and the Doctor weren't so different after all right now. She already had one foot on the slippery slope to despair, one more knock and she'd be pushed mercilessly over the edge completely. Her silence drew the Doctor back out of his sullen mood, he saw her wrist first, her sleeve having ridden up slightly. Jenny sensed his eyes upon her and followed his stare down to where her bruises were on display. She tugged her sleeve down hurriedly trying not to catch his eye. The Doctor simply opened his hand out towards her; to his horror the girl actually flinched away from him. Is this what he'd become? Something that his friends feared? "Give me your hand," he instructed unable to bear the awkward silence that was stifling them both in the small space, "I'm sorry, just, trust me, and give me your hand" Jenny was reluctant to relinquish her hand to him; she'd have much preferred if Madame had been there to oversee whatever was about to happen to her in the Doctor's care. At least she'd have been comforted, knowing that the brave Silurian would rip his head off at the slightest hint of anything underhand. It took her a long time to think things through, but finally, she rested her hand in the Doctor's open palm. He pulled her closer to him, causing her to perch on the edge of her seat. Jenny watched as he placed his free hand over the top of hers causing a warm golden glow to fill the cab. The young girl was fascinated as the bruises up her wrist began to vanish; and the dull ache that reminded her of the injury every time she moved suddenly subsided into nothing. The glow diminished and the Doctor rubbed her hand between his. He released her gently, "How's that?" he smiled before turning his attention back to his game of dot to dot on the glass of the window. Jenny turned her hand over and over, this way and that way, not a hint of the bruising remained. Her hand felt new, it was truly amazing, she'd had no idea that the Doctor was capable of such a thing. Watching her from the corner of his eye the Time Lord grinned to himself. Sometimes small victories were enough to rouse his inner Doctor. He secretly hoped that enough of his old self would re-surface; and aid him in facing the unknown threat that had stalked the London streets and stolen his friends. He sighed, the waiting was killing him, why did he have to be so impatient? He opened one of the case files beside him and flipped it back open to the newspaper clipping that had caught his attention earlier. A handful of London residents had gone missing, some children, and a handful of adults. There was seemingly no pattern to the disappearances, there hadn't been a cluster taken from any one area. The Doctor raised his eyebrows at the reporter's disgust at the number of upper class folk that had been taken. The Time Lord scoffed at the writer's indignation that even the upper classes servants had been taken in two cases. The absolute ordacity of this criminal; how dare he snatch the posh people of London, and how dare he take their staff. The Doctor tossed the file across to Jenny, the flutter of paper startled her, but with her quick reflexes she snatched the file out of the air. "What do you think?" He glanced out of the window quickly, they were nearing the edge of the city now. He heard Jenny's ramblings about how it might be the work of a serial killer. He couldn't focus on anything more that she said as a raggedy piece of paper fluttering, half stuck on the side of a building caught his eye. The Doctor rose quickly and jumped out of the moving carriage. Jenny was about to protest when the carriage came to an abrupt halt. Completely startled and confused she grabbed her sword and leapt out after him.

"Doctor, you could 'ave been 'urt or left behind! You can't jus' go jumpin' from movin' carriages" She caught up to him stood staring up the 'Missing' poster. He informed her without moving his eyes from the poster that the carriage wouldn't continue without both of them inside. The Doctor snatched the poster down and unrolled it to see the complete picture. It depicted a missing girl, Molly Smith, four years old when she'd gone missing two weeks previously. Jenny reached over his arm and pointed to the artist's sketch, "I've seen 'er face before. In Madame's files, she's one of those folk who wen' missin'" The Doctor, much to Jenny's complete horror, licked the front of the poster. He visibly moved the taste around his mouth uttering 'two weeks... yes' before he turned the paper over and licked the back. The girl at his side tried her hardest not to gag at how truly disgusting the Time Lord was.

"The paper is different on the back, this is far too thick, must be something underneath," he whispered in frustration feeling around the edges of the poster. He managed to pry apart what was in fact two posters, one stuck down on top of the other. He finally peeled the two apart revealing yet another missing poster depicting yet another child, Edward Fortune, "Another missing child..." His eyes scanned the air blindly, his thoughts taking over, "This is familiar, why is this so familiar?" He grabbed Jenny's hand and half dragged her back into the carriage. The vehicle sprung back into life, the Doctor this time sat beside the still very confused assassin, "Okay" He laid out all the papers they had, "What do you see?" Jenny pondered over the paper work for a few long minutes.

"'ere" she pointed at two names in one of Vastra's files that previously she had deemed as useless, "Same names as these two," she pointed now at the missing posters they'd collected, "Bu' these folk, they're older" The Doctor clicked his fingers and pointed at her in triumph.

"Yes. They're older," he pointed now to the ages noted down in the news clipping, "They've gone missing at the same time, but Jenny look, they're the same people" The Doctor waved his hand at the poster in frustration, "This guy look at him, look at the spacing between the eyes" He held the pictures up beside one another, despite the toll age had clearly taken on the man he did look remarkably similar to the boy on the poster. "I've seen something like this before; but this, it seems different somehow," the Doctor racked his brains, "Oh of course. It's the only explanation, they went missing at the same time, the same people, they've gone missing twice, at the exact same time"

Jenny shook her head slowly, "What d'you mean they've gone missin' twice? Doctor, explain"

"I think, that these two people escaped. The most dangerous thing a predator can have is a prisoner who has escaped. They managed to get away, then they must have been hunted down... again... _Displaced again_" His voice trailed off as his thoughts took over.

"Bu' escaped from who?" The Doctor froze, it was happening here, all over again, right now under his nose. How could he have been so blind? A surge of memories that he'd so valiantly tried to suppress broke free into the processing place of his mind. Of course it was them, it had to be them. Time displacement, it couldn't be anyone else. He suddenly felt incredibly sick, why was it so stiflingly hot inside the carriage all of a sudden? Much to Jenny's annoyance another unscheduled stop was made as the Doctor disembarked from their transport once more and strode down a grassy bank to lean over a broken fence at the roadside. He tried desperately to slow his breathing, eyes shut tightly he raised a shaking hand up to his face. Why was this happening? Why did they have to plague him like this? "Doctor what's the matter with you?"

"I can't," he choked, "I can't go any further with you"

"That _thing_ won't go anywhere without us _both_ in it" Jenny protested pointing back at the abandoned carriage on the cobbles. She sighed in frustration, this was not the time for him to start having a break down, "Please Doctor, just 'elp me to find Vastra an' Strax then we'll ask no more of you" He seemed to be visibly shaking as he held on tightly to the frail wooden fence, "I don't know wha' 'as got you into such a state bu' I…" He rounded on her, pointing a shaking finger fiercely into the distance.

"Don't you see that they've followed me? They're here! Doing the same thing over and over and over again! Polluting time as we know it. Corrupting all that you know, all that you thought you knew!" Jenny took a few cautious steps back from the crazy Time Lord, "It's not possible to run from them, can't you see? I've tried!" In a split second he tried to dash past her, but Jenny was far too swift for that. Vastra had taught her well. She drew her blade and pointed the tip up at the Doctor's throat.

"Nah you don't" She warned him. She watched as he clenched his eyes shut tight and began babbling repeatedly to himself. Inside his mind he was becoming steadily overloaded with everything he'd tried to bury. He didn't want to remember anymore, but it was unleashed, everything. Every moment. Every thought. Every fear, every painful stabbing of emotion from his fateful Manhattan venture exploded within him. He didn't want to face it, he definitely didn't want to relive it. But it had arrived; and it took him over completely. The Doctor had been dwindling along down the path to self-destruction; and now he'd detonated.

"The Tardis doesn't come here. Tardis, no. The Tardis doesn't come here. Doesn't come here. Baad, very bad. Yowzaa. The Tardis can't come here, can't land, can't land" Jenny was genuinely terrified of him now, the deterioration in his mental state was drastic, unexpected, totally bizarre. Had he finally snapped? Was this where finally he shut down completely? Alone in the most dangerous part of London with an insane Time Lord at the tip of her blade was not where she'd expected to see herself when she awoke that morning. She noticed that the Doctor's nonsense chanting had changed, he watched her now, eyes wide, sweat glistening on his forehead. She listened carefully to the words he spoke so rapidly, "Angels. Weeping Angels. Don't look away from Weeping Angels. Angels. Don't blink. Never blink. Blink and your dead. Don't look away from Weeping Angels" He frowned at her angrilly, "The book. Don't read, mustn't read. Shhh. She read it in a book, now I have no choice" Jenny tightened her grip on her sword. The Doctor looked up suddenly towards the main road; he gasped sharply, "They're here" he crouched low to the ground much to Jenny's surprise. He clamped his hands over his ears and shut his eyes tightly, "No, leave me be. No more, no more. Leave me. Leave me alone" he repeated over and over again rocking backwards and forwards.

Completely alone now, what with the Doctor in the middle of his meltdown, Jenny turned her attention to the road, beside the carriage was the statue of an angel, it's hands covered its eyes. She must have taken her eyes off it for a second as she caught sight of another one stood by the horse, when she turned her gaze back to the first it was inches in front of her. Jenny gasped, it didn't look so angelic up close. Its face was screwed up into a horrifying silent scream. The Doctor must have been babbling about these creatures, Weeping Angels, perhaps he hadn't been talking complete nonsense as she'd first thought. The small assassin backed away from the angel that had come so close to touching her, in her peripheral vision she maintained eye contact with the other one; also closer to her now than it had been a second ago.

"Doctor" her voice shook, she couldn't afford to show weakness but her deep seated fear betrayed her, "Doctor, please, you need to keep an eye on at least one o' these things, not sure I can do this alone" She could do nothing but shake her head and sigh loudly in frustration - he wasn't going to help her. 'Don't cry, don't cry' she silently told herself over and over. Jenny willed her eyes to stay open; desperately urged them not to blink. "God I'm so sorry Vastra, so sorry, I'm sorry I couldn't save you" The age old human instinct within her caused her to shut her eyes for that one, disastrous, second.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

Vastra turned on the spot, she had no idea how she'd come to be standing on a deserted dirt trail on the outskirts of London. The air around her tasted different, it was as if the Earth were younger somehow, decades younger. Beside her Strax was lay on his back unconscious; she nudged him with her foot, "Strax! Wake up!" she demanded of him. Obediently the Sontaran opened his eyes; he stared up at the green Silurian stood over him.

"Madame. I think we may have been ambushed" Vastra rolled her eyes and hissed irritably at him. The Sontaran was relatively good at pointing out the obvious. One moment they'd been stood in the dirty backstreets of London, the next they'd been dumped on this dirt road. Vastra cast her eyes back towards the city landscape. It would take them a long time to get back there on foot. The Sontaran clambering up from the floor beside her was irritating her with his slow movements, in an instant she'd grabbed his arm and yanked him to his feet. "Madame, what of the carriage and the horse?" He asked looking around in puzzlement. Vastra smacked a palm to her face, he'd been conscious less than five minutes and already he was getting on her very last nerve.

"Neither are here," she growled through gritted teeth.

Strax turned, looking up at her with a frown, "Obviously, ridiculous reptile" The Silurian sighed, a disgruntled, annoyed, long sigh. Without another word she began the task of walking back towards London, "Madame, wait for me!" Strax's heavy footsteps behind her confirmed that he was going to be joining her on her long walk. It wasn't the company she'd prefer, but company was still company, and here in this strange time, he was the only thing she had. They strode along for many silent minutes.

"I wonder how Jenny is getting on," Vastra pondered aloud. As she thought of her sweet human at home her feet stopped dead. Strax barged into the stationary Silurian. For a woman 'one' she was as solid as a rock to bump into, in fact, Vastra barely felt Strax impact with her as she stood in her daze. She regretted leaving Jenny alone with the Doctor in the state he was in. How could she have expected the young girl to cope with such a broken man, even for the few hours that had remained of the day? Vastra had no idea what had happened in the brief second she and Strax been transported to this area; but she did know, that it would prevent her from being by her love's side when she woke as she had promised she would be. The Silurian groaned, Jenny would most certainly notice her absence, but without the Doctor's curious mind and plentiful technology how could her darling sweet Jenny possibly know how to go about finding both herself and Strax? She looked down at the Sontaran who was watching her face go through a whole multitude of expressions as she thought silently to herself.

"It would seem that we have been transported back in time two decades Madame" He informed her as he presented the results on his handheld nursing device. Vastra has no idea the basic handheld technology was capable of such a function and merely stared blankly at the revelation floating around on the screen. She could feel her legs weakening, two decades, two whole decades. There was no way on earth that Jenny would be able to find them without a fully functioning Doctor and a Tardis. Strax didn't very much like the expression on Vastra's face at that moment, he took a nervous step back, he was well aware of how volatile the Silurian race could be. Travelling back to their home on Paternoster Row now seemed like a completely fruitless exercise, the residence simply hadn't belonged to Vastra twenty years ago; and Jenny, she would be no more than an infant. The Silurian hadn't foreseen the possibility that they might be sent back in time with no means of return. She couldn't go the long way, not without her Jenny by her side. Twenty years would be torture; no, she couldn't go twenty years without Jenny. The Silurian closed her eyes, and pleaded quietly;

"Jenny, do what you must to get the Doctor to investigate our disappearance. Anything my dear, do anything to get that stubborn man to do what he does best… And…" A thud and a groan interrupted Vastra and her prayers. She turned quickly on the spot; and quite honestly couldn't believe her wide blue eyes. Flat on her back, not even ten feet away, buried under a pair of swords, was her wife; and beside her, lay sprawled out equally as ungracefully, was the Doctor. Vastra was not in the slightest bit religious but at that moment she actually felt quite smug that the only prayer she'd ever spoken had been answered, "Look at that Strax, I think that's what one would call, a miracle" The Silurian threw the two katanas aside and peered down at Jenny "Are you alright my dear?" The girl looked up at her, Vastra wasn't too good at identifying human emotions but Jenny quite honestly looked relieved to see her. The girl's lips silently spoke a '_thank god_' as she closed her eyes and let her head fall back against the grass. Jenny felt herself being pulled to her feet and then much to her surprise she felt Vastra's cool arms embrace her tightly. The Silurian wasn't usually a public hugger; and it was this thought that caused Jenny to open her eyes and reciprocate the show of affection.

"Everythin' alright Ma'am?" The girl rubbed the Silurian's back and gave her a squeeze, "Thought I'd lost yer I did" Over her shoulder she could hear Vastra asking how they'd managed to find them, "Angels" Jenny had replied, Vastra stiffened and promptly pulled away, holding Jenny at arms-length.

"_Weeping_ Angels?" The quick nodding that Vastra received chilled her to the bone, "But the Doctor was with you…" Jenny nodded over to where Strax was knelt down next to the Time Lord. The women moved to join them.

"'e's lost it Ma'am," Jenny whispered, her eyes watched the Doctor. He sat on the floor, eyes unblinking, which personally Jenny thought was a little too late. Commander Strax was scanning him slowly with his nursing equipment, "Started 'avin' a break down when 'e worked out it was Angels wha' took you. Couldn't get no sense from 'im after tha'" With her wife at her side Jenny felt suddenly safe, no longer did she fear that the Doctor may start his nonsense babbling again. Vastra's arm that was now outstretched to protect her, really did make her feel secure. Jenny peered around her wife's shoulder to see the eerily still Time Lord. Strax looked up at the pair, he rolled his eyes.

"Complete mental overload," he grunted. The Commander continued his assessment while the women looked on. Vastra took Jenny's hands in hers and brought them to her lips.

"I'm so very glad that you are alright my dear, I feared that…" The Silurian froze. Her senses tingled the moment her lips caressed Jenny's hands. It was like a bolt of lightning shot through her nervous system. Jenny was a little unsettled at the sudden pause her love had taken. She watched with interest as Vastra once more pressed her lips against Jenny's skin, "Why is your skin laden with regeneration energy?" Jenny felt her heart stop; she was certain that Vastra felt it stop too. The lizard woman frowned suspiciously at her, "Jenny… tell me, what has happened?" The poor girl didn't know what to say under this surprise interrogation. Vastra's ability to taste regeneration energy came as a complete shock to her. She pulled her hands back from Vastra and rubbed her healed wrist absentmindedly.

"'e didn't mean it Ma'am. 'e just, made a mistake. Jus' grabbed 'old of me wrist a bit too 'ard tha's all. 'e wasn't 'imself, 'e didn't…"

It was too late to try to justify the Time Lord's actions. Vastra was upon him in an instant. The Doctor tried to defend himself as they tumbled into the long grass but Vastra's brutal rain of fists and claws were simply too relentless for him to possibly block all of them. Vastra hissed angrily at him, "If you ever lay a finger on Jenny again I swear, I will cut you into pieces, you'll be the last of your kind, no more" As she clambered to her feet and took a step back Vastra continued to glare at the bruised, scratched and bleeding Time Lord. He propped himself up on his elbows and stared up at her.

"I didn't mean to…"

"Didn't mean to _what_ exactly? You _didn't mean_ to harm one of your friends? A friend who was trying to _help_ you? You _didn't mean_ let Jenny face off against Weeping Angels alone without your aid? Or are you still beating yourself up about the Ponds? _Didn't you mean_ to let them go? _Didn't you want_ them to at least have a long life _together_? Your life is timeless, _Time Lord_. Humans grow old, they wither and then they die. Be thankful that you didn't have to stand there, over frail, bedridden people that you barely recognise from five minutes ago. Be thankful that you didn't have to see them, when their bodies betrayed their minds and their hearts. You know well of death Doctor; and you should know by now that it is cruel. You should be grateful every day that the last time you saw the Ponds they were _alive_. Lost in time yes; but _alive_; and _together_" Jenny wiped a lone tear away as her wife finished her painfully truthful scolding of the Doctor. It actually made Jenny wonder what Vastra was going to do when she herself grew old and left the Silurian alone in this world. The Doctor stood up and wiped away a drip of blood that had escaped from a scratch on his cheek.

"Don't lecture me, about death and loss. I have lost things that you will _never _understand"

"Perhaps not, but I think I come the closest to understanding you Doctor. We are not, as you like to think, so different" Madame Vastra turned away from him, dipped down to collect the swords from where they were still nestled in the grass and strode back to Jenny. She pressed the girl's sword firmly into her grasp and rested her forehead against Jenny's for a moment, "Maybe I'll never truly feel your pain, but for the sake of this planet that you hold so dearly in your heart…" Vastra turned back to look at the Time Lord, "... Be the Doctor, stand beside us, and protect it one last time" The Doctor watched how Vastra held onto Jenny, it was like she'd jump in front of a Dalek for the girl. He groaned to himself, why hadn't he just jumped in front of that Angel for Amy? "What good is blaming yourself?" The Doctor eyed the Silurian with suspicion. Could she read minds or something?

"None at all" he muttered darkly.

"If the Angels are doing the same thing here in London, creating a human farm, then this is your chance to put an end to it, on your terms" The Doctor closed his eyes, he really didn't want to have to relive this scenario, why couldn't he just sit in his Tardis and ignore everything? Why couldn't he just block everything from his mind and never hurt again? "You've already had a taste of what will happen to you if you continue to ignore all of your memories Doctor" He was going to have to set up a mental block, Vastra was irritatingly good at reading his mind today.

"It was just a neuronal overload," he waved his hand as if it were nothing, "It won't happen again…"

"Until you trigger another memory surge by trying too hard to suppress it all"

The Doctor looked to the Sontaran, wishing for him to come to his aid, blokes stuck together right? Strax however, knew better than to defy the wild Silurian warrior, "Sir another overload is highly likely should you choose to continue down this dishonourable path" At this the Time Lord sighed. He was stuck in the past, Tardis-less, with his Paternoster Gang, not a single one of them would allow him to stroll off to his own tea party of self-ruin. He battled with himself for a moment, gritting his teeth and pointing his finger at them.

"You lot, just, leave me alone when all this is over. Okay?"

* * *

The Doctor sat patiently on the soft grass. It took the Sontaran Nurse quite a while to heal the wounds inflicted by the Silurian warrior. As the nursing device passed over the last deep scratch and knitted the skin back together Strax cast yet another annoyed glare at Vastra. She flicked her tongue out and hissed irritably at him, she wasn't about to apologise for what she'd done, the Time Lord had caused harm to her wife; if anything he should be apologising still, over and over. Jenny, sat next to her, was tangled around her wife as she would never let the Silurian out of her sight again. Though she was being squeezed to death Vastra said nothing, she simply put an arm around her loving human and allowed the closeness of their relationship be on show to the world for a change. "Wha' are we goin' to do?" Jenny traced the ridges of the scales on the back of Vastra's hand as she murmured her question only loud enough for the Silurian to hear.

"I do not know my dear, we don't even know yet how many Angels are present in London"

Jenny rested her head on Vastra's shoulder, "... Well there's two at least Ma'am"

Vastra looked across to the Doctor, his green eyes were already watching her. The look they shared was one of mutual understanding. The Doctor would help to eradicate the Angels from their city, and the gang would allow the Doctor to retreat into his Tardis, away from the world, away from the universe. He took in the blueness of her firm stare. No one he'd ever known could live hidden in plain sight as well as Madame Vastra, the Doctor knew that. He'd help this last time, protect all that the Silurian held so dear, then Vastra would repay him by aiding him in his isolation. All he wanted was for the running to stop; and the pain to subside. The Universe had to understand that, it just had to.


	7. Chapter 7

_Updates are going to be very few, over the next couple of weeks, I've gone full time at work (temporarily) so, yeh, I mean I'm going to be working until really late; and it's a mentally draining job. The point is, I can't promise that there'll be an update in a week, or two weeks or whatever. Also, I haven't had a thorough read through of this chapter, so, if there are any mistakes, don't tell me :P I'll only be sat in work fuming that I can't get on here and edit. Thanks for reading this far, thanks for the comments and the likes/follows, sounds cheesy but it does help to motivate when motivation is drying out. Anyway, have a great day. ~Interface_

* * *

"Ssssh!" It was the fifth time he'd had to put a stop to their talking. The Doctor stood up high on a crumbling wall, screwdriver to his ear as he systematically flicked through the different settings. He was attempting to get a lock on the location of the stolen people. The scar tissue of their journeys, their time tunnels, left a resonating vibration that he wasn't exactly sure he'd programmed a setting into his sonic for. Hence he had to go through every single setting he'd installed in the device. He closed his eyes, concentrating on the noises coming from his screwdriver. Detached momentarily from his task he found himself thinking about how much his stomach turned at the thought that when he turned back to the group, she wouldn't be there. The instant he remembered how much he loathed himself, all motivation to find the Angels vanished. He hid his face with both hands and groaned, a painful, audible groan that caused the gang to turn their heads towards him. The Doctor lowered himself down to sit on the top of his vantage point. His eyebrows furrowed as he looked down at the ground below him, watching as his shadow swung its legs as he did. This wasn't going to work, he had no reason to go running towards danger as he had before in his life. If anything, he had every reason in the universe to just retreat and let things be, he owed the universe no favours. He glanced to where Vastra had moved to stand beside him, she shielded her eyes against the sun as she looked up at him.

"Why don't you call for assistance?" she asked him casually. It was a well-known fact that the Doctor required travelling companions. Although the Paternoster gang were good friends of his, they were not by any means, his time travelling assistants. The lizard's eyes watched the Doctor's mind process what she had said, his expression flooded through almost every emotion possible.

"There's no one left" He muttered at last turning his face away from her, he hated how she analysed his every facial twitch.

"What about your wife?" The Doctor visibly tensed. His mouth opened to respond to the Silurian, but no words seemed to want to present themselves. There had to be a River out there that he'd yet to call on for help. He'd visited her every night of her prison sentence, he racked his brains, there had to have been a day in her life that he hadn't visited her yet. He paused, it wasn't that he hadn't already reached this conclusion, but it was as if his eyes were open to it for the first time.

"I don't have the Tardis" His words were meek and feeble. Vastra almost turned to return to her wife but instinct forced her to stay at the Doctor's side. She made a phone-like gesture with her hand; her blue eyes flashed mischievously up at him as she spoke.

"Make a phone call…" The Doctor frowned, his phone was in the Tardis. "… Or send a message?"

"Psychic paper…" The Doctor grabbed at the pocket of his purple coat and pulled out the pad of paper. He stared at it in his hands, there would be no going back once he'd called on River Song's help. He ran his finger along the tear line in the fold of the pad, where he'd torn out a sheet for her to keep. His eyes looked up sheepishly at Vastra stood patiently next to him, surely her arm must be aching by now from keeping the sun out of her eyes. He shuffled a little to his right to block the rays from hitting her and pointed down at the paper, "People usually only contact _me_ on this though. I don't, I don't usually contact, anyone" The Silurian needed only to glance at the pad before she smiled.

"You are, quite right" With a casual raise of her brow the Lizard woman strode back to join her wife and comrade, "Come along you two, help is on the horizon" The Doctor was suddenly aware of the sound of horses hooves approaching at his back. He squinted and turned, raising a hand up to shield his eyes as he searched for the source. It was indeed on the horizon, it was strolling along towards him; and that something, was Vastra's carriage. _'What?'_ He mouthed not quite believing his eyes.

"But, that's not possible…"

* * *

He stood facing the approaching vehicle, he rolled his screwdriver in his hand impatiently; couldn't the horse walk any faster? He stole a glance at the women beside him, each had their sword drawn. "You said it was _'help'_" the Doctor scolded, "_'Help is on the horizon'_ you said" Vastra looked suddenly very lizard like as she turned her head towards him.

"First instincts, can on occasion, turn out to be the wrong ones" The Silurian Warrior drew up her sword in front of her and widened her stance. The situation for a brief moment, seemed quite funny to the human girl stood beside the Lizard woman. Never had she expected to be stood out on an open road, with a Lizard, a Potato and Time Lord, about to ambush a carriage like highwaymen. A chuckle escaped her. "Do share the joke my dear" Jenny shook her head, still grinning and uttered a small, _'It's nothin' ma'am'_ before adopting the stance that Vastra had taught her. The Doctor wasn't sure how much longer he could wait, had he always been this impatient? He recalled the time he'd stayed with the Ponds; he hadn't been able to wait then either. His bit the inside of his cheek as he regretted quite quickly ever letting his impatient nature get the better of him, there was a six month period where he could have been in their company; yet he'd chosen not to. He shook the thought from his mind, trying to focus now solely on the carriage almost upon them. The Doctor walked forward, hand outstretched to the halt the horse.

"Ssh, shhh" He soothed patted its nose gently. "Strax..." he whispered nodding at the great creature. The Sontaran obediently stepped forward and held firmly onto the reins. "Okay" The Doctor beckoned the women to follow him to the cabin door. He held tightly onto the handle and counted down from three with tapping movements with his screwdriver. Pulling the door sharply open revealed the cabin to be occupied. The figure was turned away from them; but the mass of blonde curls were unmistakable. Using the light from the opposite window and a small compact in her hand, she finished lacing her lips with a red tint. Snapping the compact shut she promptly turned to the three stunned faces peering in at her.

"Hello Sweetie"

The Doctor, despite his heart skipping a beat at seeing her, glared furiously into the cabin. "What are you doing here?" he demanded without so much as a 'Hello'. His wife shrugged casually holding her hand out for him to aid her descent from the carriage.

"I called you twice.."

"I don't have the Tardis, or my" he could feel how he was losing his authority as he was forced to explain himself, "Or my phone" As he stared at her he could feel his eyes betraying him, he was genuinely relieved, and thankful, that she'd bounded into his life at the most appropriate moment.

"You didn't meet me when I got out" She patted her fluffy curls with a hand as she spoke. His expression she could tell, meant that he had no idea what she was talking about. River rolled her eyes, "Out of prison Doctor! You didn't show up to take me home like you promised" The Doctor's eyes widened; he pointed at her aimlessly, his mouth opened and closed repeatedly; his words were silenced; like the silence that pursued him. River had only just gotten out of prison, which meant that she hadn't been to Manhattan.

"Why are you here?" His question lay thick in the air; everyone awaited the answer with baited breath. River was suddenly aware of the eyes that watched her, that were waiting eagerly for a response. She muttered _'Oh fine'_ and retrieved her handheld PDA from her purse.

"I followed an energy surge; four time tunnels opened here, so naturally I came out here to see what had come through" The Doctor's heart began to race, his palms became sweaty. He didn't want to know the reason why, but he _needed_ to. He took a small shuffle towards her, his eyes pleading for more of the story. River wasn't so easily drawn into revealing conclusions. She simply watched him defiantly as he edged closer and closer.

"Why are you investigating time tunnels?" He was so close now, he had no intention of intimidating her, intimidation was more of a game of foreplay to her. The Doctor watched her tinted lips very carefully; they quivered as he taunted her with his own so desperately close now to hers.

"Well why do you want to know?" She could almost touch his lips with hers. It was almost unbearable. River gasped, then grinned widely, "You're investigating them too, you bad boy"

"I want to hear you say it, say that you're investigating the – _Weeping Angels_" They spoke the last two words in unison. The Doctor's lips broke into a smile. Danger didn't follow his wife, she followed it. Coincidently, danger seemed to chase the Time Lord through life, so wherever he was, River was sure to find him eventually. His eyes admired her mode of transport, "Next question," he clasped his hands together and took a few paces back, "How did you get Vastra's carriage here, a Vortex Manipulator couldn't carry both a horse and a carriage"

River glanced back at the vehicle, "This is _my_ carriage" She shook her head slowly, "I don't know what you're talking about" The Doctor during his life with River, had just about managed to detect when she was lying. Often he never questioned her reasons to lie as so very often it was to protect their timeline. On this occasion, he could detect no hint of a lie on her red tinted lips. The Doctor turned to look at Madame Vastra. "Where did _you_ get the carriage from?"

The Silurian gathered her composure and spoke in her usual collected fashion, "I gained possession of the carriage from Scotland Yard after my second successfully solved case. The Inspector said that it had once belonged to one of their top Investigators, a Miss Melody Malone"

"Mrs" River corrected with a smirk. She patted her curls again, "Mrs Melody Malone"

The Doctor couldn't supress his grin as he shook his head and turned away from her. Oh how things seemed to fall into place when all was on the brink of being lost. "Ha" The grin he wore refused to release his lips, pointing at Vastra he added, "That explains the advanced technology you had on board, the radio communications" The Doctor pushed his hair back into place as he used to before he left the Tardis for his dates with River, "I married her" He beamed, proudly announcing out loud for the first time the status of their relationship.

"Sweetie, I think you'll find that I married you" River raised her eyebrows and sighed at Madame Vastra, "It took a while…"

"I know tha' feelin'" Jenny grinned from the side of her brave Silurian warrior. As River looked between the two women. Vastra averted her eyes, her cheeks darkened through several shades of green.

"What have you found out so far?" The Doctor asked coming quickly to Vastra's aid.

"They're using an asylum" River pulled her diary from the small purse hooked onto her arm. The Doctor watched her in amusement, she always shamelessly flaunted Time Lord Technology wherever she went. Her bigger on the inside purse was no exception. "It's the perfect cover for this age, no one visits the insane out of shame"

He peered over her shoulder at her page of notes, there was a small penned sketch of a terrifying looking set of gates "A crazy asylum, great, love an asylum. Vastra, you love an Asylum?" The Silurian hissed lazily back at him and turned back to her wife. "Strax, buddy, fancy checking out this place?"

"Sir, if we are to attack this … _Asylum_, might I suggest we dig trenches, lay mimetic cluster mines, arm ourselves with scissor grenades, automated laser monkeys; and acid"

"What's the acid for?" River asked in amusement, she'd yet to have an adventure with a Sontaran, they usually chased her across Galaxies for insulting them.

"To fill the trenches with! You putrescent human filth!"

"Hey!" The Doctor chastised, "Firstly, that's my wife you're insulting; and secondly, she's only _half_ putrescent human filth" River punched his arm hard. "Oww!" He rubbed the dull ache she'd caused him, "By the way, you think you could give us a lift?" She couldn't help but smile at him, even when he couldn't defend her honour properly.

"Will there be running?" she asked with a smirk, to which the Doctor responded instantly with 'There's always running' "It'll be a squeeze…" the Time Lord's wife announced pulling open the cabin door, Jenny was the first to enter. River shot a wink at Vastra who was next, "... But I'm not shy"

The Doctor was the last to hop up into the crowded carriage, he snapped the door shut firmly, "Flirting is to be kept to an absolute minimum" He warned the women before adding, "You too Strax"


	8. Chapter 8

"Doctor?" River watched her husband carefully as he stared glumly out of the window, "Are you alright?" The Doctor turned his head towards her, noting how Vastra and Jenny shot each other a look that they must have assumed to be subtle. River's eyes commanded his to return themselves to hers. They refused to release him until he responded to her question.

"Mhm," he gathered his voice together with a small cough, "I'm fine" Her stare pierced his soul, all of his souls, "Honestly," his tone attempted reassurance, "I'm fine" Though he didn't mean to frown at her he found that his face betrayed him; he turned away from her once more so that he could resumed his habit of looking out of the window and not actually seeing anything.

"He gets ever so grumpy whenever I get a career," River addressed the women beside her, "Still," she brought up her left hand to their eye level. Both Vastra and Jenny leaned in close to get a better look at the object of interest. Even the Doctor finding himself oddly curious, peered over, "Someone had to buy a ring" Shaking his head the Doctor scowled and turned away from the three women admiring the disgracefully large diamond that River wore so proudly. He knew deep down that he should enjoy her company while it lasted, but he was dreading so much their inevitable goodbye. He couldn't bring himself to allow her to lighten his mood; it would only hurt more when she had to leave him. So instead, he ignored completely the chatter of the women as they rattled along the old roads in the tiny carriage. After a few sideward glances at the Time Lord, Madame Vastra had almost completely blocked off the conversation she was supposed to be involved in. She paused suddenly, seeing River Song's eyes staring calmly into hers. The woman's lips continued to move in idle conversation but her eyes spoke a completely different language to the Silurian woman. Vastra shook her head, her eyes unable to stop themselves from glancing back over at the sullen Time Lord. River's heart sank a little, the Doctor was ahead of her in her timeline; and that was never a good thing. This was the Doctor who was nearing the end of their travels together, this Doctor had seen the end. From what she could see of it, the ending did not look promising. A darkening in the corner of River's eye drew her attention away from analysing Vastra's expression. She squinted at the dulled window; hadn't it just been gloriously sunny outside a second ago?

It took the Doctor by surprise too when the sky darkened quickly and the window through which he was looking became speckled with rain droplets. He turned sharply to look at River across the carriage. She raised one, single, well-kept eyebrow in response - That's when the lightening flashed and lit up the carriage. Jenny gasped sharply and pressed herself firmly back against Vastra. With a shaking hand she pointed to the window beside the Time Lord.

"Jenny, my love...?" But there was no need for the Great Silurian warrior to continue her question. As the next burst of lightening lit up her features she too saw the stationary Angel passing by the window. As the flash of light subsided and darkness returned the carriage was on high alert. The Doctor threw himself at the door and wrapped his arm through the handle preventing it from being pressed down. Just as he did the door shook as the Angels attempted to gain entry. His body jerked as they tried with even more force to gain access to meal of time energy inside. He looked up to his wife, his green eyes pleading with her to do something, some amazing thing that he was so used to her doing. The Doctor winced as the force trying the door handle seemed to become more and more persistent and aggressive. Through gritted teeth he growled, "Riverr…" For the first time since he'd known her the curly haired blonde assassin froze. She was no longer ahead, she was at this moment, completely in the dark. Her diary held no account of anything that was to come.

Time stood still in the confined space of Melody Malone's carriage. The Doctor clung tightly to the door, refusing to grant entry to the predators on the other side. Strax sat scowling at the shuddering door, wishing that he'd come more prepared for battle. Both Jenny and Vastra had firm holds on their swords though it would be impossible to brandish them in the small space. River's eyes were transfixed on the straining wood of the door – it wouldn't hold for much longer.

"Let go," the Professor instructed suddenly. All eyes were instantly upon her, had she gone mad? Vastra's grip tightened on her beloved Katana; she would cut the Time Lord with her blade if she even for a second put her wife in danger. River tutted in frustration, "Trust me" The Doctor kept his tight grip on the door; grumbling, 'That's my line' as he stared up at her. His eyes begged for an explanation before he willingly allowed hell to enter the carriage, "Doctor, when have I ever led you astray?" The Doctor's faced melted into the biggest grin he'd produced in a forever; he brought himself up into a crouching position.

"Doctor…" Vastra spluttered, "I must protest, you are not thinking straight"

"I trust River with my life," The Doctor cringed against the force being exerted against door that he was so desperately trying to keep closed, "When we all get out of this alive; you honour your promise to me Vastra" The Professor's head jerked in the Silurian's direction. The Lizard's eyes were locked firmly with the Doctor's. Their fate currently relied on her sealing her promise with an unbreakable bond; her word. She could feel Jenny's eyes upon her now too, the girl was her strength; and as she felt the warm skin of Jenny's fingers coming to lay against the cold scales of her own hand she felt that strength surge within her.

"I will aid you as you see fit old friend; but I shall never agree with it"

"Well then," the Doctor smiled weakly, "Geronimo" He released the door and threw himself across the carriage away from the now gaping entrance. The wind and rain howled its way inside. Ruffling their clothing and their hair, drenching them in cold droplets. The Angel had indeed been at the door, teetering on the edge of the steps. It was River's turn to be brave and as she held herself steady facing the creature. Her hair whipped about in the wind, her coat flapped around her dangerously. She couldn't have looked more magnificent to the Time Lord lay sprawled on the carriage floor. The stone creature's hand was outstretched; attempting to snatch the blonde professor straight out of time. The carriage jerked as it continued over the uneven road surface; but River Song never faltered.

"So sorry we couldn't stay for supper!" River yelled into the wind at the Angel. She snapped her Vortex Manipulator onto its wrist, "Another time perhaps!?" The gang were temporarily blinded by a flash of light; in that split second the Angel was gone; along with their only form of time travel. Kicking the door shut the Doctor couldn't help but find that his temper was beginning to bubble.

"Why did you do that?" he asked firmly of River's defiant face, "We have no way back now"

"Don't you trust me?"

"Haven't I always trusted you? Even when I shouldn't have?" This close River could see the Doctor now for the first time; truly see him. He had always been like the father of time to the universe; the great old clock of the universe. For him, in this moment, time seemed to have come to halt, he was stuck; River could feel it. He was like a stopped time piece, his intricate workings were broken. Here he stood, hands stuck on the hour; the hour that the Doctor became broken.

"Doctor, what happened to you?" Her hand came up to rest on his cheek, "You can tell everyone," she indicated to the Paternoster gang sat quietly subdued, "... Everyone but me" As they stood now in a strangling silence the Doctor's eyes began to brim and shimmer with tears that he was sure his body shouldn't be able to make any more of. He rose his hand to rest on her cheek too, his thumb brushed gently over the pink tint on her skin.

"Spoilers," he told her, his voice was on the edge of cracking. Her delicate fingers wiped away the streak that had escaped down his face.

"Well then," she spoke at last, "We'd better make it a good one"

Invested deeply in this very private moment the group had not realised that the carriage was no longer moving, "We're here," Jenny's voice broke the silence, she gripped Vastra's hand tightly. It was time to face their demons.

* * *

They stood shoulder to shoulder at the gates of the asylum. Allies, despite all the odds, despite all the despair and destruction that swirled around their lives; far beyond the time and space in which they currently stood. The rain had ceased, yet the wind howled on and the darkness remained. Time was scarred; and this was the result; it disgusted the Doctor greatly to see it wounded and dying like this.

The Professor had offered her new Sontaran ally her sonic blaster; he stood looking down at it, unimpressed by its size, "Now what?" Strax asked not feeling even remotely safer with River's blaster in his sweaty palm. Vastra and Jenny simply looked at each other, each had their swords ready. Being at each other's side, blades ready in their hands, was enough to comfort each of them. Although Vastra being Vastra, she needed much less comfort heading into battle than her human wife. Jenny's courage though, only seemed to amplify her own, as long as they stood side by side in the face of danger; they knew that they'd be alright.

The Doctor opened his mouth to speak, "We've got to stick together, it'll be much safer..."

"But If we split into two groups, we can cover ground more quickly," River turned her bushy blonde head of hair in her husband's direction.

He chewed his lip, refusing to meet her gaze, he knew she was watching his mouth. He hated when she did that, it always lead to that kissing thing. Which of course he didn't mind, he just wasn't very good at that whole kissing thing, "That would be dangerous," he finally responded, eyes transfixed on the frightening building as the lightening lit up every imperfection in its crumbling, old and weakening structure.

"Never mind then, if you're so old now that you don't like a few thrills, then we'll do it your way sweetie," the Time Lady pursed her lips and turned her head from him, patting her soft curls as she did.

"I'm all about the thrills, love the thrills, who doesn't love a good thrill? Jenny loves a good thrill... Don't you Jen-"

"'ey now you leave me outta your little thrills"

"... Even Vastra..." The Silurian growled deeply from the back of her throat. The Doctor grinned at her obvious discomfort, before a thought seeped into his mind. It spread across his expression, his eyebrows furrowed, his mouth opened in silent protest. He turned towards his wife, staring at her as he said, "Whoa hang on a minute, me.. Old?!"


	9. Chapter 9

"Vastra and Jenny, take the perimeter and find a way inside. Don't let them see you; time is fragile here, it's breaking. A few more time tunnel scars and this whole thing could collapse around us" Madame Vastra followed the Doctor's stare to where it was fixed on the blackened sky above them; she felt as though she were caught in the eye of a storm. It was like nothing she'd ever seen before.

"And what will you do?" She watched River Song flick the safety catch off of her spare sonic blaster dramatically and hold it up.

"We're going through the front door," the Time Lord replied patting her curls, ensuring that everything was in place. Vastra raised a scaled eyebrow at River's remarkable confidence and smirked before turning around to prep Jenny on how they were going to approach their task.

"But sir, the women ones will surely need to have a man one present to fight the enemy," Strax protested waving the small sonic blaster carelessly at his comrades.

"River needs to keep an eye on her property Straxy," the Doctor shot his wife a quick glance as he flicked out his sonic screwdriver. He hated that he couldn't just be honest with her, but the very essence of their relationship was built on lie upon lie; why should this occasion be any different?

* * *

There was something so dark in his eyes; a thing that should never be in the Doctor's eyes; not this Doctor. She hated when he spoke that word to her, that one word; _Spoilers_. The future was hers to withhold, not his, it was terribly frustrating. River knew that all good things came to an end; but never had it occurred to her that the Doctor would be the one being in the universe to experience and live through the end of all things; the end of days. She'd never thought about what it may do to him; but she was beginning to see it; in his eyes. Time was the enemy the Doctor ran from every day of his life; but now he'd stopped running; and Time's icy grip was fast closing in on him.

"Where is the Tardis?" she asked lowering her voice and turning her back to the group. There it was, in his eyes, a sadness, a great sadness. He didn't respond, but merely shook his head at her, "What did you do to her?" At this the Doctor couldn't even bring himself to look indignant. He'd hurt the Tardis, he'd damaged her by his own hand; and she had abandoned him. River was fast losing her patience with his sullen state, "Oh for goodness sake. One little tiff and you both act as though the universe is ending. Honestly…"

* * *

"I'm sure we'll manage this once without you Strax," Jenny hit a playful punch at her comrade's shoulder.

"If you punch like that, you weak, and fleshy boy, then I seriously doubt it," Commander Strax turned once again to the Time Lords, "They really do require a man one"

At this statement Vastra snorted loudly, "You are very much mistaken. How can you reside in our home for this long and not realise that we are very much content without a male amongst us?" Jenny stifled a giggle at how indignant Vastra sounded at Strax's thoughtless comment.

River, very much amused by the dynamic amongst the Paternoster gang addressed the Silurian before her, "We'll get to the children, here, I locked onto these co-ordinates a few days ago. It's in the centre of the building. Get to it, find out what's there, by the time you do, we'll give the signal to get out. You'll know it when you see it" At her side the Doctor nodded in agreement, he had no idea what shape or form the signal may take but River seemed to know what she was talking about.

"Something chaotic perhaps?" Vastra mocked, with a smirk across her lips she laid a hand on Jenny's shoulder and the pair disappeared into the darkness following the path leading anticlockwise around the asylum. As the darkness consumed their forms the Doctor found himself hoping that he would see them again; that no harm would come to the Victorian couple. He could have kicked himself for hoping such a thing. Jenny and Vastra didn't need his hope, or his well wishes. They would both survive the night; and fight hard against whatever was thrown in their direction. The Time Lord knew in his hearts that Vastra had taught Jenny well; and trained her in the traditional Silurian ways of combat. Even if Jenny wasn't so skilled with a blade, Madame Vastra would never allow a single hair of Jenny's head to be touched by an enemy; of that he was certain. He'd seen the way Vastra looked at Jenny. No, the Doctor's hope was wasted on the deadly duo; they were survivors; and survive is what they would do.

* * *

The darkness usually aided the Victorian couple in their work for Scotland Yard. It granted them a cloak under which to hide and stalk the streets unnoticed, taking out filth as they swept along like a fresh breeze. Tonight however, the darkness was their enemy. The Angels could be anywhere, in any shadow, around any corner; the lightest touch from an Angel meant that either one of them could be sent back in time; and become lost in the universe. Vastra couldn't help but risk a sideward glance to ensure that her beloved wife was still at her side. She needn't have doubted that Jenny was with her as her eyes fell upon the girl's navy waistcoat and white shirt, "You haven't worn that for some time," she pondered with a barely audible whisper. Taken aback by the comment Jenny looked down at her attire. She removed a strand of hair that had fallen over her face with a flick of her head and shrugged; merely stating that it 'hadn't been her choice'. "What do you mean, not your choice?"

"The Doctor..." Jenny's sentence trailed off. She wanted to say that the Doctor had told her what to wear, but as her lips tried to form the words she felt suddenly foolish. The broken, unintelligible mad man, who had entered their home uninvited, had told her exactly what she should wear; even partly dressed her. Jenny's fingers closed around the knot of material that formed her tie.

"The Doctor requested that you wear it?" Vastra's voice brought Jenny back to reality. She hadn't even noticed that they'd stopped walking. As their eyes met Jenny quivered under the steady blue eyed stare of her wife; relenting, she nodded her response, 'Yes'. "And do you know why he would request such a thing of you?"

"'e said tha' it's who I am" The Silurian's hands came to rest on the shoulders of Jenny's waistcoat and rubbed the material firmly but affectionately.

"The Doctor chooses his attire, not at random, my love, but to mark his regeneration. The Doctor is a bringer of hope and a destroyer of worlds. His friends grow to find comfort in seeing him, and into his enemies he strikes fear. The bow tie, the tweed jackets; are a symbol to his friends and companions; that all is not lost. For those who stand against him it marks their final hour" Vastra released her grip on Jenny's shoulders, "That man needed to find hope. You gave that to him at Demons Run when we found his Amelia Pond, you helped him to find it again when you agreed to humour an old Time Lord, lost in the ruin of himself. You and you alone got that stubborn man to find himself, to be the Doctor again. Even if it is only temporary"

"By wearin' this ol' thing?" Jenny bit her lip and paused, her eyes no longer meeting Vastra's, "'e's so far from 'imself ma'am, so far. 'e's not the Doctor we knew"

At this Madam Vastra frowned; though it was almost pitch black where they stood she could see clearly the worry set deep into her wife's eyes. Worry that the ancient warrior knew that she must pay attention to. Vastra hoped that Professor Song would be able see in the Time Lord what had instilled such unrest into her wise little Jenny.

* * *

"Are you ready yet?" The Doctor dared to peek through his fingers. He so hated how unashamed River was at getting changed in public. She managed to murmur a 'Yes Sweetie' as she fastened her leather belt at last. In one hand she now held her trusty PDA and in the other she held her favourite choice of weapon. The Doctor rubbed his hands together, and strode a few paces to join her at her side, "I'm not sure a gun is the best thing…"

"You didn't complain in America" River cut across him curtly.

"Well, no, I, I suppose I didn't," he turned to look up at the intimidating building which they were about to enter, "I wonder what it's like to be locked up your whole life for no good reason" His wife paused and looked up at him in disbelief.

"Gosh, Sweetie, I couldn't possibly begin to imagine what that must be like"

The sarcasm cut sharply through his dulled senses and pulled him back to her in an instant, "River, I didn't' mean…" The sight of Commander Strax rushing towards them stopped the Doctor in midsentence, "… What is it Strax?"

"Sir," the Sontaran, the Time Lords could tell, was overexcited, "I've laid the mines and attached the sticky bombs"

"Sticky bombs?!" the couple stared completely horrified at one another.

"I have set the timer for precisely one minute," the Sontaran nodded happily; completely satisfied that he'd done the right thing.

"We're supposed to be sneaking in!" the Doctor scolded shaking his screwdriver at the disgruntled looking Strax, "You're going to blow our cover and…" The explosion ripped through the air like roar of thunder. The ground shook uncontrollably causing the Time Lords to grab at one another for support. They staggered this way and that. The front doors, not even one hundred metres away were shredded into splinters joined by chunks of stone building flying out from the gaping hole where the entrance should have been.

Now far to the west of the asylum Vastra and Jenny paused as strong vibrations shook the ground beneath their feet. Vastra held out a protective arm across Jenny as the silent air was infiltrated by the sound of an explosion. She stood silently, listening for a hint of anything. The petite human squinted back into the darkness, "Was that the signal?" Vastra hissed for her to remain silent. Several moments passed; the two women stood pressed into the shadows. When nothing more happened Vastra lowered her arm and turned to her patiently waiting wife.

"I think my dear, that Strax may have got carried away again" Between them they tutted, shook their heads and continued on their path. Each were silently grateful that they'd been granted leave from Strax's company. He so very often blew their cover that they'd had to become resigned to the fact that every case they embarked on may result in them going into things all guns blazing.

As she crept silently along behind her wife Jenny couldn't help but feel relieved and somewhat complete. The sight of Vastra reunited with her blade warmed her heart to no end. To ever see her parted from it was like observing a child devoid of its toys. Jenny bit her bottom lip to stop the grin that had already reached up to claim her - it was so good to be reunited with her. In those first moments having realised that the Silurian had been taken from her, Jenny had come to realise how important Vastra had actually become to her. The Silurian looked back over her shoulder, she could sense that her little human's mind was elsewhere, "Are you quite alright my dear?" The girl reached forward and rubbed her wife's back affectionately.

"I'm fine love, jus' thinkin' 'bout 'ow much I love yer" Vastra kept her eyes on the task ahead but she couldn't help how wide her smile grew as she heard Jenny's words.

"Jenny, we are about to delve into the depths of an insane asylum, swarming with Angels and the like and here you are thinking of such things"

"Don't matter where we are love, I'm always thinkin' of you"

"We may die in there, then what?"

"Well at least you'd be the last thing I thought of," Jenny shrugged adjusting her grip on her sword. Vastra shook her head at her stubborn little Jenny's words. Deep down though, a knot formed in the pit of her stomach at the thought of ever being without her. The day she knew would come to pass eventually and whether it was in a few hours or a few decades, Vastra knew that she simply would never be prepared to lose Jenny. The fearless, and bold Silurian Warrior within her stopped her from saying the three words that so desperately wanted to escape her lips. So Vastra settled instead for telling her loving wife;

"You'd be my last thought too my love"


	10. Chapter 10

"They'll be on high alert now," the Doctor scratched his head and tossed his screwdriver impatiently from one hand to the other. The three of them had their eyes fixed on the settling dust that hid the damage caused by Strax. The Sontaran looked up to River Song whose eyes were narrowed upon him.

"What?"

"You've ruined everything," she frowned back at him shaking her blaster gun at him as if she would strike him if she were to lose her temper further. The Doctor swallowed hard and put his hand up to his collar; his heart sank when he realised he had abandoned his bow tie. The small comfort of being able to play with the soft material was now no longer a luxury, "You never said where the Tardis was," His wife's voice distracted him from his slight upset.

"Sir's Time Machine resides in Madame's home on Paternoster Row," Strax informed her.

"Shut up Strax," the Doctor snapped irritably.

"What good is it there?"

The Doctor waved his hands and held them up as if he were trying to calm some wild animal about to strike, "It's complicated," he uttered hoping it would deter River from asking any more questions – It didn't of course.

"Why don't you use the key and bring her here?"

The Doctor gritted his teeth, "Why don't you just shut up and leave me alone?!" River glared furiously at him and struck him with a harsh slap across his cheek. Time stopped momentarily as the Time Lord put a hand up to touch his stinging skin, "I probably deserved that," he grumbled.

"Yes," River breathed, her voice shaking with anger, "You did" His green eyes, shiny with the onset of tears, looked up at her – She was positively livid with him, of that he was sure. He sniffed back the urge to cry and returned his gaze to the now cloud-free, visible entrance.

"I hope the others are doing better than we are"

* * *

Madame Vastra pressed her back against the cool stone wall. She interlocked her fingers carefully and rested them atop her slightly bent knee, "Ready Jenny?" she asked of the darkness before her.

"'ang on, can't get this bleedin' blade in the 'olster. 'ow you wear it on your back I'll never know" The Silurian rolled her eyes impatiently. It had been Jenny's idea that they should enter through a window to save them going through a possibly guarded door – Which Vastra conceded was a fairly good idea. She just hadn't anticipated that Jenny would need to prepare herself to be vaulted up to a high window. Wearing her sword on her belt she surmised would be dangerous; she may hit Vastra with it as the woman boosted her up or she may even find herself stuck on it trying to clamber through the window. Thus she had spent the last few minutes fastening the damn nuisance to her back, imitating how her Silurian wife wore her own. Vastra was stunned out of her daydream as Jenny appeared through the darkness sprinting at her at full speed, 'Ready!' she yelled as she leapt at her wife. The Silurian barely found that her sharp reflexes were quick enough as Jenny's foot came to rest in her hands. Vastra threw her little human with all her strength up at the open window above her. The second that Jenny's weight left her hands Vastra turned to see the girl's legs disappearing over the window ledge.

"I wasn't ready!" she hissed irritably up after her wife.

Jenny popped her head out of the window happily, "Well you looked ready love," she stretched a hand out down towards the grumpy looking lizard, "You comin'?" Vastra flicked her tongue out with a disgruntled hiss before backing up away from the building. She didn't require the same long run up as her wife, "You're takin' your bleedin' time" Jenny called down, knowing full well that it would only annoy her love further. The Silurian, irritated as she was, shot at the wall like a bullet from a gun and managed to scramble a good few meters up the side of the building before locking a firm grip around Jenny's forearm. Though she was secured firmly within the building Jenny felt the Silurian's weight pull her a few inches over the window sill, "Bloody 'ell Vastra," she huffed screwing her face as she struggled to help the warrior clamber up the short distance, "Nearly ripped me bleedin' arm off you did"

"Do be sensible," Vastra lifted herself through the open window now no longer requiring Jenny's assistance. The girl rubbed her arm over and over; eyebrows furrowed as she puffed her cheeks out at the ancient lizard.

"Oh I'll be sensible, I'll be orderin' less from tha' butcher when we get 'ome" At this Vastra's head jerked up sharply to look at her wife.

"What exactly are you trying to imply? Are you saying that I've put on weight?"

"I'm jus' sayin' that' maybe you've got a bit too used to me lookin' after you. An' there'll be no more popcorn when we watch those films" Vastra sighed loudly, she thought back to how simple everything was when they were about to snuggle together in front of the fire and watch some of the human entertainment she had acquired. It seemed a forever ago since the night the Doctor had emerged from his time machine. She'd kill him if she survived this ordeal. Then she'd have to set up her own arrangement on the side with the butcher if Jenny actually went through with her threat of starving her.

"Okay" Jenny had moved to the door of the dark room they were in. The Silurian's eyes had adjusted to the darkness quite quickly and as Vastra panned her gaze around the room she could see that they were in an office of some description. By her standards at least it had all the makings of one. A wooden desk stood offset to her right, and upturned chair she could just make out was present behind it. Papers were strewn about, which unbeknown to her looked pretty similar to her own filing system at home thanks to Jenny's erratic searching of her desk. Vastra watched now as her wife wrapped her hand slowly and carefully around the rounded doorknob. From this angle she looked so delicate, the Silurian's eyes flowed over her slim exposed wrist, up the length of her arm to the soft features of her face. Her dark hair, usually tied back without a strand out of place, did in fact at that moment make her look as though she'd been thrown through a window. Lost in the sight of her human wife, Vastra without another thought reached forward and tucked the untamed strands behind Jenny's ear. The girl paused and turned her eyes on Vastra; she raised an eyebrow slowly, "You alright?" The Silurian was very rarely stuck for words, so when she didn't reply Jenny immediately released her grip on the door and turned to face her, "We'll get out of this together, me an' you. You ain't got to worry love, savvy?"

"Jenny, don't be silly, I'm not at all concerned I…"

"An' if you believe tha' you daft ol' lizard then you'll believe anythin'"

* * *

River Song took a deep breath, standing atop the debris of the destroyed entrance she held her sonic blaster out in one hand and her trusty pda in the other; "Ready boys?"

A good few paces behind her both Commander Strax and the Doctor simply stood gawking at her, "Do you have to be so, so… tomb raider?" The Doctor flicked his screwdriver out and covered the short distance between them with a few steps.

The Time Lord shook her head in exasperation and sighed, "Just shine the light dear…" The screwdriver hummed its comforting tune as light shone from its tip and lit up the seemingly abandoned lobby. The Doctor led the way slowly, waving the light rhythmically from side to side. There was no sign of any Angels, but that wasn't to say they weren't lurking; waiting, "We need to keep ourselves back to back, clear lines of vision on all sides," River instructed; she twisted the dial on the front of her gun barrel; it emitted a light though it was far less powerful than that of the Doctor's screwdriver. Strax followed her lead and shone his dimly lit gun torch in time with the Doctor's. Turning on the spot he opted to walk backwards; covering them from the rear.

"Look," The Doctor's voice was no more than a faint whisper yet it seemed to echo around the high ceilinged corridor in which they had just entered. The doors that lined each side of the lengthy corridor were shut tightly; all locked the Time Lord imagined as he tried to pull the first one on his left open without success. Framed in each door was a small square window; just about at head height for the tall, lanky Doctor. About five doors into the corridor lights could be seen flickering from inside the rooms, "I have a bad feeling about this," he muttered as they edged on. With Strax still shuffling backwards covering the door through which they had entered from and the Doctor covering the front; it left River free to cover both. She turned regularly to double check that nothing was sneaking up on the Sontaran. As they passed the first few cells she stood on her tiptoes and peered into the blackened rooms; the light from her torch reflecting on the glass made it difficult to see if anyone or anything was inside. She turned on her heel; holding her pda at arms-length and caught up the few paces that had grown between herself and the Doctor. Without warning the small device started to beep. The Doctor turned sharply to look at both her and it – There were life forms detected, quite a lot of life forms.

"Doctor!" River cried spotting the Angel screaming silently over his shoulder. With the creature quantum locked under River's stare the Time Lord managed to lunge out of its range; he shone the light from his screwdriver over it.

"Sir…" Strax's voice sounded unsteady.

The Doctor swallowed hard, "You want to, uh, you want to get that dear? I'm a little tied up" Free to blink momentarily River turned to see what the problem was behind them. She squinted into the dim light cast by her gun.

"Sweetie… We have a problem…"

"Do I want to know?"

Staring wide eyed at the now wide open cell doors River hadn't realised that she'd been holding her breath. As she released it and the tightening in her chest subsided she shook her head slowly. Keeping her eyes fixed on the stone fingers curled around the door edges she just about managed to respond with a meek, "Probably not dear…"

* * *

Finally able to catch her breath Vastra's eyes fluttered open as Jenny's lips released hers. She had no idea what she'd done to deserve such a welcome display of affection from her little lover; but she wasn't about to complain and spoil the moment. She did however feel slightly guilty, here they were, sharing an intimate kiss when the Time Lords and Strax were probably fighting off Angels left right and centre.

"Jenny…"

"I know," a gloved finger came up to press firmly against Vastra's lips, "Let's go"

For a second time Jenny took hold of the door handle; this time she managed to turn it slowly without interruption. Pulling the door open a crack she peeked through the gap into more darkness, "Can't see a thing it's so dark" Vastra nudged Jenny gently out of the way to have a look; her _'lizard vision'_ as Jenny so fondly put it was slightly better than a humans, especially in the dark.

"Everything seems to be in order" She widened the opening and crept stealthily into the corridor. The darkness was simply, too dark for Vastra's liking; it was inhuman; but as the Doctor had rightly put it, time was breaking. Squinting didn't help her, which she found highly annoying, "Do we have a torch or a candle Jenny?" She waited patiently for the reply; still attempting to force her eyes to adjust to the pitch black. A cold and harsh realisation struck her quite suddenly, "Jenny?" The Silurian turned on the spot, she cursed loudly in her native tongue - She couldn't see a thing, let alone the form of her wife. Vastra edged, slowly, back in the direction she'd come from, though it was only a few steps it felt like a fair few metres came between her and the open doorway, "Jenny my love?" She asked of the empty upturned office. The silence was almost as stifling as the darkness engulfing her. The rapid sound of a match being struck caused the usually unflappable Silurian to practically jump out of out her skin. A warm glow suddenly filled the room. The light danced off Vastra's green scales as she stared utterly horrified into the face of a white haired old woman. She recognised instantly the chocolate brown eyes, and the old, torn navy waistcoat that hung on the woman's thin and frail frame.

"You daft ol' lizard. Got tha' candle you wanted; took a while; sorry ma'am. 'ope you ain't been waitin' long"


	11. Chapter 11

**_Hey all. Incase you hadn't realised by my updates, I'm done with work woo! But I'm back at uni in a few weeks.. boo. So I'm going to get this story rolled out and finished; because I'm getting to be a nightmare for not finishing stories. O.o' Get ready to take an especially Deep Breath on Saturday. Peace all :) ~Interface_**

* * *

"Jenny my love, what has happened to you?" Vastra couldn't move, she wanted to touch Jenny, pull her close. But the sight of her love, old before her time; and so close to death, sent a pain through her heart that she thought she'd never ever have to feel.

"Last I knew of it Ma'am I was 'ere with you. Next I was locked up," in her wrinkled and shaking hand she held out her faithful lock picking kit. It was far older than Vastra had ever seen it. She wanted to cry but the sob held fast in the back of her throat, "Took a long time to pick tha' one"

Her worst fear had come true, Jenny had been touched by an Angel. She'd become part of the human farm the Angels had created here. Vastra could feel her heart breaking, she'd lost her Jenny. The young, spritely, pink cheeked girl that she'd married; whom had flattered the ancient lizard through her adoration. The candle light danced across Jenny's face, over wrinkles that should simply not be there, that Vastra should have been there to see forming on her love's pale skin. The old woman before her stretched a hand out to touch Vastra's cheek. The hurt in her face when Vastra pulled back out of her reach was almost too much for the Silurian to bear, "I thought I'd never see you again"

"No," Vastra had no idea what she was protesting to but it was the only word her lips would form, "No," she repeated again, "I will not allow this. Jenny I will not"

"It's silly…" Jenny's voice cracked under the weight of her words, "… But 'opin' tha' I'd see you again is all tha' kept me goin'. Jus' when I thought tha' … tha' it would never 'appen, you're 'ere," tears streamed down her cheeks now; Vastra felt her own eyes betraying her, her vision now blurry, "I've 'ated bein' without you Vastra"

"I am sorry my love. I cannot imagine what it must have been like in this place," Vastra carefully unfolded Jenny's fingers from around the candle holder, "And that is why I must be completely honest with you," Jenny wiped her tears away with her sleeve and stared quizzically over to Vastra who had skulked quietly towards the door, "This is the only time I will ever be able to say this to you my love, Jenny Flint. But I am incredibly selfish in my love for you my dear; selfish, in that I cannot ever spend a day without you like you've had to spend yours without me. Not now, not ever. You are a future that I cannot allow to exist"

"Vastra… I don't understand, wha' d'you mean?"

"I'm sorry, but you are not _my_ Jenny. _My Jenny_ is lost; and it is my intention to bring her home safely" Like a gust of strong wind Vastra exited the room and slammed the door shut. In her anger and upset she found the strength within herself to snap the door handle clean off. She couldn't have this woman pursuing her; she couldn't allow Jenny to see her future. Once you saw your own future then it had to be so; and this wasn't the future she'd ever choose for her wife. Vastra flicked her tongue out irritably, something ancient within her was awakening, the native Silurian she suppressed every day in her undercover life. Her ancestors hunted apes for sport, though Jenny always found the term to be an insult, on this occasion Vastra guessed the girl would be grateful for being one. Vastra had always been the best of best in her sport; she'd hunt Jenny to the end of the Earth to bring her back again. After hissing and cursing angrily in Silurian Vastra drew her sword and started down the corridor, her new light source illuminated a few metres ahead, guiding her – The hunt had begun; and mercy was not on the menu.

* * *

"That's quite genius," The Doctor complimented as River finished attaching her pocket mirror in front of the closest Angels eyes. It could see itself, therefore it would never be unseen; thus would remain quantum locked for as long as the mirror remained in place. The Doctor couldn't help but pull his tongue at the trapped creature; it served it damn right for trying to sneak up on him.

"But what of the rest of them?" the pair turned back to where Strax was keeping the horde behind them at bay. The Doctor, still harassing the Angel next to him with an array of silly faces turned now to face the mass of Weeping Angels that Strax was struggling to not blink at.

"We've only got the one mirror; we'll have to keep staring at those"

"Well it doesn't take three of us to stare at Angels," River tutted keeping her eye especially close on the Angel whom had managed to get halfway up the corridor after them, "One of us should go 'that' way," she nodded backwards, "And see if we can find the children"

"Good idea; Strax…"

"I meant _you_ Doctor; just go. Strax and I have this under control for now. Just hurry"

The Doctor glanced quickly between the back of River's head and the mass of Angels facing her, "Are you sure?"

"Sweetie, I'm sure, just go now"

The knot that had formed in his stomach made him feel as though he should remain at her side, but they were here for one reason, and only he was free now to carry it out. The Doctor reached forward and laced his fingers between hers, "I'm sorry," he told her as he dipped to kiss her hand. River didn't dare turn around, nor did she dare blink back the tears that leaked down her cheeks as the Doctor released his grip. She hadn't envisaged this many Angels to be lurking inside the walls of the Asylum, escaping this many would be near impossible.

Screwdriver held up high over his head to give a greater range of light the Doctor marched past the Angel they had managed to halt, pushed through the creaky swinging door and into the unknown. The light he possessed danced creepily over abandoned trolleys, upturned wheelchairs, strewn paperwork and, "Uh oh" Blood streaked walls. The Doctor leaned in close to examine the dried, flaky smudge, "But, this isn't how they kill," he moved the torch to follow the blood down along the floor, it looked as though a body had been dragged. He crouched down low, the dark stain had been walked through; bare foot prints were just about visible, "Ohh, that is very not good. This is not good" The clanging of what he could only assume was some sort of steel pipe echoed down the lonely hallway. He stood sharply, casting his light each way unsure of whether the sound had come from ahead of him or behind him. Though he was trying to be quiet all the Doctor could hear was his breathing and dual rhythm of his heart. Another loud metallic clatter forced him to turn in the opposing direction; further towards where the blood trail led, "Don't panic," he told himself, "Do. Not. Panic" It wasn't until he noticed that he wasn't just listening to his own breathing, but the harsh and ragged breaths of a something else did he truly feel terrified. And that something else, felt as though it was very close behind him. The Doctor cringed and shut his eyes tightly; cold fear stopped him from turning around; but he knew that he had to. _'Oh god'_ he mouthed opening one eye and turning slowly on the spot. The light of his torch hit upon the figure of a woman; she was in what had once been a white nightgown; it was currently filthy with dirt and dark blood stains. Her brown hair was wild and matted with filth and grime, around her mouth was dried and flaking blood. She stared at the Doctor; eyes wide with nothing human left behind them; all that remained it seemed was the basic animalistic need to survival. She screamed crazily at the Time Lord causing him to almost jump out of his skin, "Ah, ahhh!" he screamed back at her. For a brief moment the crazed woman almost looked shocked that he was screaming back at her. With her momentarily stunned, though not in a good way, the Doctor spied his chance and took off running in the opposite direction. He could hear her heavy barefooted steps close behind him; her breathing was; disgustingly near. He so desperately wanted to turn off the light from his screwdriver which was so obviously giving away his every twist and turn but the Doctor was fearful that he may fall over one of the many obstacles lay carelessly on the ground. The Doctor could run, but he could run forever; despite every ounce of common sense he owned he took in a deep breath and began to yell at the top of his lungs, "Help! Help me!"

* * *

As of yet Madame Vastra had yet to meet a foe. The lack of action was beginning to bore her but the hunt for her sweet Jenny kept her alert for every second. The candle that she'd shamelessly stolen from the old version of her love was burning dangerously low now; it wouldn't last even another half an hour of fruitless searching. On her small hand-held radar she could see how far she was away from the co-ordinates River had passed to her; though for the past twenty minutes she'd refused to leave the area in which Jenny had been snatched. She'd searched the entire wing and found nothing except rooms which had clearly been occupied by humans, that she assumed from the rotten stench, were long since dead. Vastra stifled a yawn; the lack of daylight might fool her mind into thinking it was night time but her body clock could not be so easily fooled. As she edged down the corridor she found herself thinking of her warm bed at home on Paternoster Row, the smell of the freshly washed sheets; the warmth of her wife's body lay next to her.

"_Help! Help me!"_

Vastra turned sharply on the spot; sword outstretched and candle held high; the voice calling so erratically for help sounded somewhat familiar. It seemed to be coming from the corridor that connected the building Vastra was in to the next. The sound of quick footsteps seemed to get louder and louder; whoever it was; they were running right at her. The quick thinking Silurian backed slowly around the corner; she hoped the light from her candle hadn't drawn the potential threat to her. At that moment a tall figure hurtled around the corner straight into the rock solid form of Vastra. She grabbed at it, finding a bunch of material in her tight grip; in an instant she swiped upwards holding the figure up such that it's feet couldn't touch the ground. Though her candle had fallen and gone out due to the impact she could just about see that the tall scrawny body belonged to the Doctor. So if it was the Doctor she held in her tight fist, then what was it that she could still hear running heavily down the corridor in pursuit of him? The sound grew closer and closer with every passing second.

"Vastra, oh Vastra, help me" he begged of her cold eyes, "Please"

Whatever it was screeched as it neared them. At that precise moment Vastra would have loved to have thrown the Doctor to its mercy, but she would require his Time Travel to retrieve Jenny, and so he was to be spared on this occasion. She relinquished her hold in him and in a swift movement Vastra flicked her blade skilfully and with perfect timing at the howling human form that was almost upon them. It sickened the Doctor to be sprayed by a bloody mess as the woman became impaled deep on the katana's blade; so deep in fact, that she almost reached the hilt. Vastra met the woman's horrified stare with a coldness she reserved only for those whom she held the utmost contempt for. Someone had taken Jenny, was this filthy ape assisting the Angels in their cruel venture? Vastra couldn't be sure, but she regretted nothing as she drew her foot up and forced the dying creature back off her sword where it fell into a lifeless heap on the floor.

Beside her the Doctor scrambled hurriedly out of his purple blood splattered coat. He was thankful that both his suspenders and white shirt appeared untouched by the bodily fluid. He'd barely caught his breath when Vastra grabbed him by the scruff of the neck and shoved him hard against the wall. It knocked the wind straight out of him, "Vastra… Vastra! Vastra" the Doctor panicked as the Silurian, dead in her stare pressed her blade against his throat.

"They took her," she hissed at him.

"Took who? Took who?" The Doctor's hands tried to desperately to push the Silurian away from him; but Vastra wasn't going anywhere.

"_Jenny!"_ How dare he forget. How dare he forget her precious little Jenny Flint. Vastra could feel herself losing control – She could kill him. It would be so easy too, here he was in her hands; at the tip of her blade.

"Vastra, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, Vastra, we'll find her. I'll help you find her. We'll find Jenny. Vastra please. We'll find her, I swear, we'll get her back"

The Silurian felt suddenly quite sick as her temper began to subside and the realisation that she had almost murdered the Doctor washed over her. Her blue eyes flicked down to where her blade had pressed hard enough into the Time Lord's neck to cause a trickle of blood to leak down and mark his shirt. She swallowed hard and pulled the katana away; after a long heavy sigh she allowed the Doctor to stand of his own accord. He looked shaken and breathless, and aside from the obvious injury he looked generally unharmed, "Where are the others?" she asked at last. The Doctor knelt down to examine his dead pursuer.

"They're uh, a little tied up at the minute," He rolled the woman's head to see her face better in his sonic light. Now that her features were relaxed and more human he recognised her, "It's her," he turned to look up at the puzzled Silurian. She raised a hand to stop him from blinding her with his torch before asking him, _'Who?'_ The Doctor stared sadly down at the dead woman, "She was in your files," he tapped his forehead impatiently with his screwdriver, "She was in your files Vastra; and I don't know her name. I've forgotten her name" He'd just laid his coat over her still body when Vastra's cool hand came to rest on his shoulder.

"You can't remember everyone old friend" She spoke quite softly considering she'd just tried to kill him; her emotions certainly did run wild without Jenny at her side. Vastra pulled him gently but firmly away from the body. He held his screwdriver low but through the darkness that played upon his face Vastra could sense that he was valiantly holding back his upset.

"What happened to Jenny?" He finally brought the light up between them. Vastra cringed seeing that he had to press a hand against the cut on his neck to stem the steady flow.

"An Angel, a gutless rogue. It took her, but allowed me to remain," at this the Doctor sighed and cast his eyes down. Another friend he'd failed to be there for, another friend they'd snatched from him, "When I saw her again she was so old… She was-"

"What? You saw her?" His hearts raced in their somewhat soothing Gallifreyan rhythm, "Vastra… Show me"


	12. Chapter 12

_Small warning, there's bit of death in this chapter. It bothers some people, if that's you then; don't read._

_~Interface_

* * *

"But she was alive when I left her!"

The words of the heartbroken Silurian resonated around the Doctor's mind as he stared down at the lifeless form of Jenny Flint. Vastra knelt over her, stroking her hair and her pale face, mumbling incoherently in the language of her people. The Time Lord grabbed Vastra's arm and pulled her away from the lifeless form of her wife. The killing had been brutal; and the makeshift splintered wooden stake still protruded from her bloody mid-region; but Vastra had been absolutely correct about one thing; this Jenny was old, so very old. The Doctor grimaced and tightened his grip on his neck feeling the wet warmth of his own blood leak between his fingers. At that moment he actually began to wonder if he would survive the night, or if he too would find himself in a bloody mess somewhere. He couldn't let himself die in an Asylum, his fond introduction of _'a madman in a box' _wasn't supposed to be so literal. Shrugging the thought off he crouched down beside the woman's body, "I believe you," he croaked to Vastra pushing the snow white hair back from Jenny's face. Her eyes were staring up at him, through him, yet somehow they pleaded with him;_ 'save me'_. He noticed that, hanging from her tattered waistcoat pocket was a dark strip of material; the Doctor knew it immediately. He sighed, no longer able to look his dead friend in the eye and pulled the tie from where she'd kept it close to her, "It's who you are," he whispered to her, "And it's still who I'm not"

"I think it's time you honoured your friendship as she did for you, old friend. She gave you hope, she brought you back from the edge of yourself long enough to get you to do what it is you do best. You are a saviour of worlds..."

"Vastra…" the Time Lord protested as the Silurian pulled the strip of cloth from him. Working around how he held his hand clamped down against his wound she turned up his collar and threaded the tie through. Trying her very best to remember how Jenny regularly tied Strax's tie for him she attempted to recreate the Doctor's signature bow tie. It was lob sided and far from perfect but the sight of it sat snuggly in the centre of his collar was the most soothing thing Vastra had seen all day. His eyes looked shyly up at her, waiting patiently for her approval.

"... You are the Doctor," she decided at last.

"Am I?" He reached up to feel the knot slowly, "People…," he sighed loudly and rubbed his eyes in frustration. What kind of word was that? It was so general, it simply wouldn't do, "My friends…," he corrected, "Always seem to die in the name of the Doctor. That's not something that I can be proud of"

Vastra didn't have an answer to this that she found to be a suitable response; so instead she pointed down to Jenny's blood stained form at their feet, "Then stop this from happening. Do not let them die for you; and if so wish, do it in the name of the Doctor" She was taken aback when he put a handful of sonic screwdriver up to her cheek; the only hand he had available since he was trying valiantly to keep his blood on the inside of his body.

"Thank you" A golden glow burned between them; its source of course, was the Doctor's palm pressed against the notch Vastra had etched into him, "I really didn't mean to hurt her Vastra," he told the old lizard wearily as the regeneration energy leaked from between his fingers, "I didn't mean to… I wouldn't…" Vastra simply stared at him as he radiated the warm glow; she knew perfectly well what the use of his regeneration energy would cost him; and she couldn't help but feel a deep gratitude towards him that he'd used a portion of it to heal her wife. It didn't detract from the fact that he'd lost his temper; but it certainly helped. She nodded her understanding at last; an act so simple yet to the Doctor it felt as though he was cleansed of his sins, well, his sins from the past twenty four hours at least. The Doctor released his hand at last, "What do you think?" he raised his head back to show off his neck. A small silvery scar line was still visible; Vastra didn't quite understand why it remained on his skin. The Doctor's healing process to her understanding, should have renewed every cell. He sensed her confusion immediately, "There isn't enough to spare for a complete regeneration of the cells" Though his fingers were still stained red with blood and his shirt collar made him look as though he'd stepped out of a gory horror film, the Doctor, stood proudly in Jenny's tie and his suspenders, looked once again, like hope, "Now then, how long ago did you say Jenny was taken?"

"No more than an hour ago; I can only guess at a time range Doctor"

"But look at her; she's so old. I mean, okay when we found Rory in Manhattan he was ancient; but from what I've researched on the Angels here she shouldn't be this old. When I read your files it seemed to me like, like the Angels were only sending people back a decade or two at time," he paced to the window and back, the cool breeze coming in was quite refreshing it stimulated his nervous system sending a shiver down his spine, "But what sense does that make? Well, it doesn't make any of course. Even in this era a person wouldn't live to death in a decade; if they'd contracted a disease then maybe. The Angels, they snatched children, and then they snatched them again when they were adults," he scrunched his hair in his hands and pulled, "But why? What am I not seeing? Why does this all seem to be happening at once?" Having paced back to the window he leant on the window ledge and peered out into the blackened world. Vastra stood, guarding the doorway; her sharp eyes watched the Time Lord go through his train of thought. She jumped when he clicked his fingers dramatically and strode quickly towards her, "Ohh! Because it is happening at once! I couldn't see it, for my own, _destruction!_ Look at me! I'm so, _stupid!_ Time is broken, the time scars, they can't heal. Everything is happening at once, all of it, every moment... Vastra!" He grabbed her shoulders and shook them excitedly, "Time is leaking… Past and present and... Future," he suddenly looked quite serious, his eyes flicked to stare into the Silurian's deep blue stare, then down sharply to Jenny's body, "Come on"

* * *

River swapped her sonic blaster into her other hand for what seemed like the hundredth time. She shook her arm vigorously to rid herself of the pins and needles she'd begun to feel, "Strax are you okay?"

"Ma'am," the stern Commander replied solemnly, "I'm not sure that this battle style is the most exciting I've ever engaged in"

"It's the most dangerous though," River smirked, she blinked one eye carefully, then the other, it was the only way she'd lasted this long.

"Do you think the Doctor will return Ma'am?"

At this River couldn't help but laugh, "Oh he'd better; or no one gets out of here"

* * *

"Why is it that we have yet to _see_ any Angels in this part of the building?" Vastra asked as they darted back down the long corridors using her radar device to guide them to the area which River's co-ordinates led to.

The Doctor grinned as he looked back over his shoulder at her, "River and Strax are keeping them busy," A blood curdling screech caused the pair to skid to a halt, "Did you hear that?"

"There's something roaming in this asylum Doctor we are not safe here" The Time Lord raised his hand to silence her as he strained his hearing.

"I'm beginning to think there are lots of somethings," he whispered, "Are we close?"

Vastra cast her eyes down to co-ordinate directions she held, "Looks to be just off the end of this hallway. Doctor; the woman that chased you, you said she was amongst my case files; but the state of her, she had gone mad"

The Doctor offered the Silurian a painfully weak smile, "Well we are in an Asylum…"

"Doctor..."

"… Vastra"

"We appear to have a problem..."

"More problems...? Great, what could it possibly be this... Time?" the Doctor turned on his heel to see Madame Vastra looking back the way they'd come from, she had adopted her combat stance, in her hand she held her sword out firmly. Just in front of her, barely visible in the darkness, were many ghostly figures. They all wore the same style white nightgown that the crazed woman had been wearing. They were terrifyingly still, and even more horrifyingly, bloody. The Doctor swallowed hard, "I hope you're hungry...," he whispered to the focused lizard.

"Normally I would not turn down a meal that has walked so readily across my path, but I must admit Doctor, on this occasion I do feel as though my appetite has abandoned me"

"That's a shame," the Doctor decided at last, "I bet you don't usually get meals walking around with a pulse at home do you?"

"Oh Jenny's cooking is more than satisfactory, you should stay for dinner the next time you stop by, you'd enjoy yourself I'm sure"

The Doctor laughed nervously his eyes focused on the eerily still onlookers, "We need a plan..." He tugged at the back of Vastra's clothes, dragging her slowly back step by step. The figures didn't move, and they didn't pursue them, "Keep watching, keep watching," he muttered quietly to the Silurian, he found it highly suspicious that their band of followers seemed to suddenly have lost interest in them, "I think," he whispered as they continued to edge away, "That they've developed some Angel traits. Once we're... Ouch," the Doctor almost fell over a filing cabinet drawer, "Once we're out of their range of vision in the dark they might still think that we're watching them"

"Are you sure?"

"No, well, maybe. I don't know; but I know that they're human, they can't see like Angels and they can't catch us as quickly as the Angels; provided that we run fast enough. It's worth a try to get away... Isn't it?" He continued to lead Vastra backwards, "Just keep your sword ready; I hope you can wield that thing like when we first met…"

"I saved you earlier did I not?" She hissed at him.

"Oh that? That was just a lucky stab in the dark," the Doctor grinned at the back of her crested head knowing full well how his downplay of her skills would annoy her, "Are we closer now?" Vastra held up her hand held device so that the Doctor could read it as he continued to guide her backwards, "We're not a bad team you and I," he mused pushing her hand down gently now satisfied that he could remember the route set on the screen.

"Doctor look at that" Vastra tilted her head back to look up as they passed underneath a steel drop down gate.

"Sshh, don't tell them that you aren't looking," The Doctor tilted his head back to see the rusted gate suspended above the, "Probably to keep them all separate, in an emergency the staff would have triggered a lock down"

Screams and screeches filled the air suddenly causing the Doctor's blood to chill, "Okay. New plan, _Run!_" Madame Vastra did not need telling twice, her feet skipped a few steps before she darted quickly away from the stampede of the insane and into darkness. The Doctor was not so quick off the mark, he aimed his screwdriver at the rusted old divide above his head. He stumbled backwards trying desperately to cause it to drop. Through the pitch black they were almost visible now, rippling down through the corridor towards him, and fast, "Doctor!" Vastra's distant voice reached his ears, but he wasn't finished. The steel he could see, was beginning to shudder. He groaned, this wasn't going to work, time was running out. They were almost upon him when the gate dropped with a deafening thud, the impact rippled through the floor beneath his feet. Bloody hands snatched at the Doctor through the bars. He battled them off and took a few paces backwards. He felt a cool icy firm hand grab his arm tightly and pull him more quickly away from the gate rattling under the strain of the insane.

"The plan was to run!" Vastra grumbled over her shoulder.

"Yeah? Well, that was more of a _thing_ added onto the _plan_" The Doctor forced Vastra to take a right turn as they reached the end of the corridor, "There! That door on the left! In there!"


	13. Chapter 13

The alien duo burst through the door, the sight before them made them pause, mouths gaping wide open.

In a room, alone with two Angels was the one person they had least expected to find in the entire universe.

Jenny stood one arm outstretched valiantly holding her shiny blade against the eyes of one Angel while keeping her eyes focused entirely on a second one mere inches from touching her with its outstretched hand, wrapped around its wrist was River's vortex manipulator, "Where the bleedin' 'ell 'ave you been!?" She snapped, the pair assumed, at Vastra. The Doctor flailed his arms, pointing ridiculously at himself before deciding with some mild hesitation to childishly point instead at the Silurian at his side.

"She means you..." He whispered receiving an aggravated hiss for his trouble.

"Jenny, my love, come to us. You're safe, the Doctor and I will keep our eyes on the Angels, just move very slowly now, don't touch them"

"Can't do it Ma'am," Jenny replied flatly.

The Silurian was puzzled by her wife's response "Jenny...?" Vastra shook her head and took a few steps further into the room.

"Don't you come any closer," the small Victorian shifted her stance, keeping her eyes open regardless of how much she wanted to blink.

"Jenny, please, come to me my love" Vastra reached towards her, willing with everything inside her for Jenny to come to her so that she could hold her and never let go again.

"Ma'am, so sorry, I'm sorry, but I can't, I've seen wha' 'appens to me. I've seen it, an' it's like you always said. Wha' you see of your future, 'as to become so. If I don't go an' do all those things then I'll never get 'ere. I'd never see you again"

"What things Jenny? What are you talking about my love?"

* * *

_She'd turned away from Vastra for a second in the dark hallway yet when Jenny attempted to address the Silurian she found that she was gone - vanished. Was she even in the same hallway? The air seemed just a little thicker than it had been a second ago but the darkness didn't seem as pitch black. "Vastra?" she whispered loudly; her hands moved instinctively to clutch her blade handle and holster as she turned on the spot, "Vastra! Wha' the…" Jenny sighed in complete and utter confusion._

_"It got you then" The voice was strikingly familiar Jenny almost leapt out of her skin at hearing it. Taking a few cautious paces forward it was now very easy to see the figure stood watching her. She was older, in the poor lighting Jenny could only assume her to be at least forty years old. The girl dared to look down at herself, at her clothing, they were wearing the same clothing. No wonder the voice had been so frighteningly familiar; she was looking directly at herself, herself from the future, "Don't look 'appy to see me will you"_

_"'ow can you be 'ere?"_

_"Same way you got 'ere when I was you. Got touched by an Angel we did"_

_"Where's Vastra?" Jenny's heart rate quickened, she didn't like where this was going. Vastra had to be here, she had to be somewhere. When she had faced off against the Angels the first time both Jenny and the Doctor had been sent back. Vastra should be here; the Angels didn't show mercy, they didn't spare anyone._

_"She ain't 'ere. An' you can take tha' from me, I've been 'ere lookin' for 'er forever" It wasn't what Jenny wanted to hear. She felt sick, her hands shook uncontrollably, her legs turned suddenly to jelly – She was never going to see Vastra again. The thought struck fear deep into her beating heart; she backed up against the wall and finally her legs gave way. She slid down to the floor; her lips tried to form words but her mind was too lost to think up anything in the slightest bit coherent._

_"She'll come lookin' for me. She will, she'll come lookin' for me"_

_"Tha's exactly wha' I said when I was you," Future Jenny lowered herself to sit beside her younger self, "But guess wha'? It ain't goin' to 'appen" Jenny turned sharply to glare at her older self._

_"'ow can you think like tha'? Vastra will go to 'ell and back for me. An' I'd do the same for 'er" She clenched her jaw shut firmly, waiting for the calm and cool variety of herself to respond. The silence seemed to drag on forever, and ever. They were wasting time. Finally an exasperated Jenny clambered to her feet, "You can sit an' mope about if tha's wha' you want, but I'm going to find my wife" Without a second glance at what her future held for her she started down the corridor her trembling hands prepared to draw her blade at a seconds notice._

_"I used to be like you!" her voice called after her, "I used to 'ave 'ope. But you've seen it now, you've seen wha' 'appens to you. Like it or not, you're going to be me; an' she's not comin' for you. No one is comin' for you" Jenny shook her head, trying hard not to pay the yelling any attention, "They'll come for you if you try to leave, they'll 'unt you down across time an' space" At this Jenny stopped and turned._

_"Wha' d'you mean?"_

_It was surreal watching herself walking towards her. Did she honestly, truly look like that? Her hair was that dark? She could see why the Doctor had encouraged her to dress like that; it was very assassin; well, it was for the Victorian period she was born into._

_"I mean if you get out of 'ere the Angels will follow you, they don't let anyone go. If you go back to Madame's 'ome they will find you"_

_"You can't know tha'"_

_"I've got out of 'ere twice, an' both times they found me an' sent me back 'ere"_

_"'ow did you get out?"_

_"Through the window we came in through"_

_"That's where I was before I ended up 'ere. 'Ey now, do you know 'ow to get back there?"_

_"We ain't goin' to find Vastra there you know"_

_Jenny looked up at herself, she couldn't believe how she'd come to lose faith in her wife to such an extent. She put a hand firmly on her shoulder and stared into the brown eyes that Vastra had told her on many occasions that she loved, "We'll find each other, as long as neither of us ever stops lookin'" To Jenny's surprise she found herself being pulled into a tight embrace, so tight that she could barely breathe; was she really this strong? Having only ever been able to compare her training results against Vastra's, Jenny had always felt somewhat feeble. She was relieved when she was finally released from the iron grip._

_"I'd hold onto tha' if I was you" A finger pointed accusingly at the tie around her neck. It was only now that Jenny realised that her forty something equivalent was not wearing the entirety of her outfit. She didn't don the tie, nor did she have her sword. In the holster it seemed as though the vital weapon had been exchanged for the broken end of a broom handle, Jenny didn't have an opportunity to speak as the woman added, "You're bein' you, on a day when it weren't possible to be"_

_"Should 'ave thought about tha' before you went an' got rid of yours," Jenny drew her blade, a fire had been stoked inside of her. She wouldn't give up, she'd never give in. She'd locate Vastra in this endless maze of darkness. Something in the pit of her stomach told her that the Asylum wasn't just home to the Weeping Angels; a whole other variety of crazy lurked in the shadows. In what she perceived to be a moment of madness a small voice in the back of her mind told her to be very weary of this older version of her that perhaps the danger may not just take the form of Angels. And an even louder voice warned that no matter what she should keep her blade close at hand. Jenny looked to her lost self finding that her eyes narrowed a fraction as she did._

_"It was this room…"_

_"Well where's the bleedin' door 'andle then? 'ow we supposed to get in there?" _

_"Like this," Bringing a foot up to meet squarely with the wooden door the middle aged woman kicked the door wide open, the hinges screamed and part splintered their way out of the frame. The pair froze seeing an old white haired woman stood with her back to them looking out of the open window. Her attire; was exactly like theirs._

_"You're kiddin' me…" Jenny groaned._

_"Weird place ain't it? You wouldn't believe all what's walkin' around in 'ere"_

_"'ere, you alright?" Jenny edged closer towards the old woman by the window that she strongly suspected was going to be another version of herself. As the frail woman turned on the spot Jenny found herself holding her breath though she already knew what was coming. She knew whose eyes she was about to look into; they looked so tired, so weary and drained. _

_"I finally saw 'er again. An', an' then she left me" The young duo glanced to one another in confusion. _

_"Saw who?"_

_"I saw Vastra. She, she locked me in 'ere. I didn't believe you, I didn't believe her when she said it. Look at you, you don't believe it. But she left me 'ere. She left me 'ere to die. An' I've been waitin' but it 'asn't 'appened yet. Can't remember 'ow it happened"_

_The duo again looked to one another again but neither one seemed to understand the mad ramblings. When Jenny turned back the white haired woman was stood mere inches from her; in a panic Jenny shoved her away hard, "'ow the 'ell did you do that?" _

_"She's movin' like one of those Angels" Jenny stared opened mouthed and wide eyed at the old woman; she was too scared to blink but she hadn't prepared mentally for the task of keeping her eyes open. No sooner had she shut her eyes again for a second and the woman was once again, mere inches away. Before Jenny could act her comrade had pulled out the broom handle from the sword holster she still carried. It had been sharpened to a point like some kind of a stake-like weapon._

_"No!" Jenny cried as her other self leapt atop their future self and drove the stake into her chest; once, twice, on the third attempt the handle stuck fast in the body. A blood splattered and gasping Jenny looked up at her horrified younger self._

_"Had to, she was slowly endin' up like them. There's more things in 'ere than you know, things that you can't imagine" A swoosh interrupted her breathless chat, an Angel had appeared, Jenny noticed it just in time. She backed away from its outstretched grip, "You 'ave to go now," the words were hers yet she wasn't speaking them, "Really, you 'ave to go. I'll watch the Angel, remember this. When you're me you'll understand" Jenny backed up and almost fell against the wall, her eyes darted between the Angel, her future dead self and her blood soaked future self. This wasn't her, this wasn't Jenny Flint. She couldn't become all these things. In her desperation to get out of the room she tripped and fell into the hallway. Her mind was a blur; all she knew was that she needed to run; and she needed to run fast. Jenny scrambled to her feet and fled into the darkness. She tore down the corridors; burst through every door she encountered and stumbled horrendously loudly over every obstacle she failed to see in time. One thought pushed itself to the front of her mind; it overtook every thought. She had to hide; she had to become invisible to the Angels, at least until the danger had subsided slightly; in her heart she knew that she danger would never go away fully; not now. She shoved her way into a side room; fighting for breath she slammed the door shut and backed away from it, sword held out ready. Jenny took a sideward glance to examine briefly her surroundings; the Angel staring back at her from over her shoulder in the full length mirror made her heart stop. Every hair on her body stood to attention; the tiniest bead of sweat she could feel; dripped down her back. Jenny didn't take her eyes off the mirror; she was absolutely going to be touched by this Angel if she attempted to turn on the spot to come face to face with it. She brought her sword up slowly; her reflection in the blade stared back at her terrified; it was as though she was looking into another mirror. Jenny frowned at the thought; she could see herself in the mirrored blade; then perhaps the Angel would be able to see itself too? Using the mirror ahead of her to help guide her hand Jenny moved her arm backwards to press her blade against the Angels eyes. When all seemed safe and she was satisfied that the angle of her sword was appropriate; Jenny took her chance, and turned around. The Angel remained fixed – It had worked. _

_Great, now all she had to do was gather her composure and not-blink her way out of the room. The sound of the door; which Jenny had assumed to be closed, slamming shut forced Jenny to catch her breath. She saw the Angel just in time; its clawed hand was outstretched towards her. "Bleedin' 'ell. It's you, well now we know where she sent yer"_

_The screaming face didn't reply; nor had she expected it to. The sight of this Angel in particular seemed to light the fire of hope back into little human Jenny Flint, for attached neatly onto its stone wrist; was River's vortex manipulator. Slowly Jenny sighed; she shifted her stance to stand more comfortably. This could potentially turn into the longest wait of her life; as she'd been witness to during this long night. _

_Forever seemed to have passed now, her arm was aching and shaking, but Jenny Flint was determined, she would ride out this storm until the sweet, bitter end – And that was when the door burst open yet again._

* * *

"Jenny," the Doctor interrupted, he took several paces past Madame Vastra towards his petite Victorian saviour, "Hey now, come on. All of that, it doesn't matter anymore, it's over. It's going to be okay. I promise"

"They'll come for me, you know they will... Like they came for Amy, an' Rory" A tear leaked down her cheek, "Every night we'd be livin' in fear. Every day I'd wonder if tha' was the day they were goin' to take me. This way, I know it's comin' an' I know tha' Vastra is goin' to be safe. So come on now, grab that vortex manipulator an' get yourselves out"

"No, Jenny, no. It's not like that, this is different, so different," the Doctor moved to stand behind the Angel that was fixed under Jenny's brave stare, "Time is leaking. It's everywhere. There are things in this building, scary things, terrible things, from the days that never were, and times that will never be. Timelines are in flux; it's all happening at once. Everything is escapable, time here isn't fixed"

"And wha' if you're wrong?"

From where she stood frozen and unable to speak, Vastra's heart was shattering. Her brave Jenny, her lovely, amazing little Jenny Flint, was about to surrender herself to Time so that she, a million year old lizard might sleep easy at night without the worry of Angels turning up. The Warrior choked back her sobs, tried desperately to hold back the tears. But as her eyes brimmed and the tears fell, her tough exterior melted; and for the first time the world was able to see her. She wished that Jenny would look at her, see the hurt and pain it was causing her; perhaps she'd change her mind. The Time lord slowly but carefully untied the strap of the Vortex manipulator from around the Angels wrist. His heavy breaths betrayed his slow movements as he dropped it to the floor and kicked it such that it skittered across the concrete to stop in front of Madam Vastra, "Now then," The Doctor held his hand out towards Jenny. Her chocolate brown eyes he could see flickered to see his raggedy bow tie, "Trust me, both you and Vastra are going to be safe, I promise," he added with a smile, "I'm the Doctor"

They locked hands sharply before he finished his last syllable; he half dragged, half shoved both her and her blade towards the emotional mess that was currently Madam Vastra. They embraced tightly, Vastra pressed her face into Jenny's neck murmuring her name over and over again. The Angel, released from its blade mirror prison, found a fraction of a second to lunge towards the Doctor, "Go!" He yelled at the women keeping his eyes fixed on both Angels, "Go! Run!" Jenny snatched Vastra's hand and pulled her from the room. They fled blindly down the corridor, the air rushing past them was warm and reeked of death. Their pace only slowed only when one of them tripped or staggered over a concealed obstacle. Never once did they look back, and never once did they release their tight grip of each other's hand. Jenny could feel her emotions running away with her, she didn't know whether to laugh or cry as they raced along. The Silurian's cool hand in hers was the only thing she seemed to feel, it was her tether to reality as the world rushed by her in a blur. Vastra gritted her teeth as she collided with an upturned wheelchair; if she survived this ordeal then the bruising on her scales was going to be utterly horrendous. The pair ran so quickly around the next corner that they almost collided with the backs of both River and Commander Strax. The horde they were faced with made them inhale sharply.


	14. Chapter 14

_I'm away from home right now, I uploaded this chapter with the previous chapter before I left. I've had no time to edit it, and I'm probably just going to click upload the moment I get a good internet connection. Thanks for reading so far, it isn't over yet. _

* * *

"Finally," River tutted, "Did you find what the co-ordinates led to?"

"They led to Jenny, and to your vortex manipulator Professor," Vastra moved instinctively into a position where she could help to stare at the many angels before them.

"You retrieved it? And Jenny of course?"

"Certainly," Vastra gathered her composure quite quickly amongst their new company, but she held tightly onto Jenny's hand. She was determined that she would not let her go again. She passed the device over to River swapping the Time Lord for her sonic blaster. She kept a steady aim down the corridor as River fastened the strap firmly to her wrist.

"We're all set, where's the Doctor?" When all that reached her ears was silence the cold harsh reality of the situation dawned on River - The Doctor wasn't joining them, "Okay then," she sighed attempting to stay brave for the group. It took all her strength to stop her voice from shaking, "Everyone put a hand on me. And hold on tight"

"What 'bout the Doctor?" Jenny protested refusing to hold on to the female Time Lord.

"He isn't coming"

"No. No we're not leavin' 'im," Jenny tried to back away from the group but Vastra's tight hold on her would not release, "Get off me Vastra! I'm not goin' to leave 'im trapped in 'ere" She struggled defiantly against the overpowering Silurian. Madam Vastra clamped a hand firmly down on River's shoulder taking a tight fistful of material in her hand.

"I've got her Professor. Do it now, quickly"

"No!"

Jenny's final protest echoed amongst the Angels as the group vanished in a flash. When they landed on the solid floor of the living room in Thirteen Paternoster Row the small girl was positively irate with her wife. She jumped to her feet and addressed River Song first, "'ow could you leave 'im in there?! He would never 'ave left you! 'e'll never get out of there with all those Angels an' you know it!"

"Jenny you need to calm down," River replied though she barely really acknowledged the human girl yelling at her. She turned to Madam Vastra, "The Time Agents will seal the scarring with a perception filter, after they've salvaged what they can of course," she smirked, "They might even find an Angel or two for their collection. The Asylum will be no more than an old ruin outside of town. The filter will keep humanity away, the scars will heal, but it will take time"

"Professor; what of the Doctor? Will we see him again?"

River strode towards the Silurian to stand merely a foot away from her; she nodded her head to indicate over her shoulder. Through the disorienting landing, coupled with Jenny's upset, none of the group had noticed the Tardis beginning to fade in and out in its usual rhythmic pulses, "She can't stay mad at him for very long," River turned her head now to Strax. He was fidgeting with the settings on her sonic blaster. She was about to hold her hand out to retrieve it from him when a blast shot unexpectedly upwards punching a hole straight through the ceiling. Plaster and dust rained down on the coughing Sontaran. After spluttering a few more times and squinting the annoying specs of dust from his eyes Strax handed the blaster gun back to the Professor. Jenny was by his side instantly, staring up through the hole to the first floor.

"Jenny…" The warning in Vastra's voice was not entirely lost on the human girl whom for the second time in as many days had had her pride and joy upturned before her very eyes. Strax swallowed hard watching closely as her brown eyes drank in the ceiling that was not only now coating himself, but the usually immaculate floor and part of the sofa. Dust was beginning to settle on the side tables; the white speckles everywhere was almost too much for the temper of the house proud Jenny Flint to take. She turned to glare at Vastra; she knew exactly what she was going to say to her and it was sure to sound exactly like, "... You need to calm down my love, you've had an emotionally draining day"

"Vastra I just can't..."

"I'll clean it up" Jenny froze instantly at the sentence that had escaped from her wife's lips; she stared at the lizard in shock. Vastra too looked terribly surprised at her choice of pacification of Jenny for the disaster that was Strax. She regretted it instantly, she had no idea how to repair a ceiling, that was a humany thing, suddenly the whole thing didn't seem so well thought through. River's eyes watched Jenny closely; it was always fascinating to see how unruffled the Time Lord was in almost all situations life tossed her way. Vastra observed her from the corner of her eye, perfectly calm, perfectly still.

"Jenny, everything seems really big right now, but trust me. It's going to be okay," she pointed a finger up to the hole in the ceiling, "That, can be fixed easier than most things believe me," after holstering her sonic blasters River turned once again to Madame Vastra and told her in a hushed whisper, "We'll speak soon"

"Have a safe journey Professor," Vastra bowed slightly with a smile.

"Ha!" River smirked as she keyed her next destination into the vortex manipulator, "There's no fun in 'safe'. Until next time"

The Paternoster gang stood for a moment, watching the spot where River had vanished. After blinking the spots out of her eyes due to staring too closely at the light the time travel device emitted Vastra looked across to Jenny. The young girl was already watching her and Vastra didn't quite recognise the look in her eyes. Her bottom lip quivered and before Vastra could make the several paces across the room to her, Jenny had turned and fled. Vastra stopped still and watched the empty doorway, Jenny's footsteps up the stairs was the only sound that echoed through the house followed by the slamming their bedroom door.

"Madame, might I make a suggestion?"

"No Strax," The Silurian sighed, "I would much prefer that you didn't"

* * *

"Jenny...?"

Almost a whole day had passed since their return to Paternoster Row. Ever since River Songs departure Jenny had taken to her bed. Vastra had assumed that the events of the days before had tired her precious little human out. But when she didn't emerge for both meal times and the time the pair put aside for themselves each day to spend together, Vastra just knew stood now in the doorway to their bedroom, that there was more to Jenny's absence than she'd first thought. The Silurian waited patiently for a response; Jenny was tucked under the sheets, her back to Vastra. From this distance Vastra couldn't tell if she was sleeping or simply ignoring her. She sighed and crossed the threshold pressing the door closed behind her; she was certain that the simple act wouldn't stop Strax from bursting in as he had done many times before, but she hoped it would deter him at least until she had spoken with Jenny. Vastra stood at the side of the bed, she shrugged uselessly, this definitely wasn't her forte. Should she climb in? Should she sit atop the sheets? Should she walk around the bed even? Perhaps that would imply that she'd assumed Jenny to be awake? She sighed awkwardly at all the silly human choices that were so important to get right should she communicate with Jenny in the best way.

"Jus' get in you daft ol' lizard," Jenny's arm reached over to pull the sheets back for Vastra.

"But, I'm fully clothed"

"Please Vastra"

The tiredness and defeat in Jenny's voice made the old Silurian warrior realise that she'd do anything for her wife. And even as she slid beneath the sheets in her well pressed daywear she didn't feel in the slightest bit silly at appeasing her precious little human Jenny.

"What's wrong my love?" She curled an arm around Jenny, she could feel the girls warm hands grab hold of hers and hold her hand to her heart. Vastra's eyes fluttered shut for a moment, she loved the soothing rhythm of Jenny's heart. The sound was so honest and so very pure.

"I can't get it out of my 'ead" Vastra could hear the quiver in her voice; she shuffled closer holding Jenny more firmly against her.

"What my love?"

"I'm gunna get old an' I'll end up leavin' you. I don't want to Vastra. I don't want to leave you"

"Jenny you must not let these things overcome you," Vastra pressed her face into Jenny's neck and laced her skin with gentle kisses, "We cannot think about things so far ahead and so very far from our control" The girl turned in Vastra's arms; for the first time Vastra could see that she had been crying – and it broke her heart, "Oh my love," She wiped away tears streaking Jenny's pale skin with a gentle brush of her hand, "We have each other right now do we not?" Jenny couldn't respond, she merely nodded her head and pressed her face into Vastra's chest. Her body shook with silent sobs; Vastra could do no more than hold her close. She rubbed her back over and over and tried to soothe her with soft shushes and gentle kisses to the top of her head. In the safety of Vastra's cool embrace it didn't take Jenny very long to calm down and upon hearing her wife's steady breathing; the Silurian could fall asleep pretty much anywhere, she too allowed herself to drift off.

* * *

When Vastra awoke she found the space next to her cold and neatly made as it always was when she stirred in the morning. She groaned incoherently noticing that the sun was already attempting to enter the room at the edges of the curtains. She turned her back to it; ignoring it had always worked before; and drew the cover up over her head - Vastra hated mornings. She was certain that her need for copious amounts of sleep was due to her ever increasing age, but she'd never admit that out loud; at least not to Jenny, not now she was so upset at the thought of ever growing old. As Vastra groaned into her pillow again at the thought of Jenny being so upset the previous night she heard the bedroom door clicking shut softly. She paused, she didn't recall hearing it open but then again she had been lost in thought. Jenny would be fussing over the mess downstairs, and Strax would never have entered her chamber so quietly. Vastra found herself holding her breath, common sense told her to leap up and confront the intruder; yet somehow she was frozen and remained perfectly still beneath the sheets. It took a while, but eventually she felt quite silly just laying there, so against her instincts Vastra sat upright acknowledging instantly the figure sat perched on Jenny's side of the bed, "I should have known it was you," she grumbled.

* * *

Jenny had been sat at the kitchen table for a least half an hour now, her hand rested atop the half cleaned surface, a cleaning cloth clenched in her fist. Her eyes just stared blankly at the empty chair across from her. Vastra hadn't come down yet though Jenny could tell she was awake from the clumsy banging around she could hear upstairs while the woman was attempting to function properly before emerging for breakfast. The Silurian had insisted the night before that Jenny not return to the role she adopted for their day to day cover in the strict Victorian era. She had willed for her to take at least a day off if that's all the girl could cope with; but as soon as darkness began to lift outside Thirteen Paternoster Row Jenny had slipped from between the sheets of the bed they shared and stepped straight back into her role as maid of the house. She didn't particularly mind cleaning their home, she took great pride ensuring that everything was immaculate; like the home she'd always dreamed of as a little girl. Her pride would swell further when she heard Vastra's visitors verbally express their admiration of the place and it's cleanliness. Right now though, all Jenny's cleaning had ceased, and she had slid into a seat at the table she had only half polished. Jenny Flint sat and she wondered, she wondered if the Doctor was alright. She wondered why his wife had so readily abandoned him when she herself would never dream of ever leaving Vastra behind. Perhaps there were simply things in the universe that Jenny would never understand; that she would have to just learn to accept and deal with.

The sound of Vastra making her way downstairs didn't even cause Jenny to stir. She wasn't afraid of being caught sat down on the job, if anything the sight would relieve her wife. Thankfully she didn't have to face the Silurian yet as her footsteps faded away towards the conservatory, it must have felt like a cold morning as Vastra often retreated in there when things got a little too cold for her to bear. Jenny breathed a sigh of relief and unclenched her fist from around the duster; looking down at her hand she could see that her knuckles had turned white. She sighed and attempted, albeit lazily, to regain her composure and finish cleaning the kitchen. The sound of a sharp knocking on the front door echoed through the house. Jenny's head jerked up at the sound, Vastra hadn't warned her that she was expecting company, she quickly tossed the duster into a drawer and swept out of the kitchen.

Jenny rubbed her hands on her overall as she hurried along to the great old front door. She paused for a brief moment to flatten out the few creases she'd spied in her dress as she'd passed the mirror in the hallway. After a deep breath she pulled the front door open, a picture perfect smile across her lips ready to greet their unexpected guest. Her face told a thousand stories when her eyes fell on none other, than the Doctor.

"Doctor!" She exclaimed moving forwards to hug him, however, the look he was giving her made her think better of actually carrying out her intended act. Jenny swallowed hard, he didn't look happy. But then why would he? They'd left him amongst a horde of Weeping Angels. She could feel her heart rate increasing, why was it suddenly so hot? Had she already set up the boiler that morning? Deepening several shades of pink and fanning her face quite frantically, Jenny stepped back to grant him entry to their home. After staring her down a while longer the Doctor crossed the threshold of number Thirteen Paternoster Row with Jenny Flint in tow as he went in search of Madame Vastra. She was seated in their adapted conservatory surrounded by exotic plants that thrived in the warm environment which she loved so much. She looked up sharply from her newspaper at the unruly way the Time Lord burst through the door with Jenny close at his heels, "So sorry for the interruption ma'am," she flustered wringing her hands, not quite sure what to do or how to act anymore, she half curtsied half bowed as she uttered, "The Doctor for you ma'am" The Silurian rose cautiously from her seat under the menacing glare of the furious Time Lord. They didn't speak for the longest time. Poor Jenny stood feeling completely useless and agitated almost choking in the stifling silence. She felt as though she was being suffocated. For the last few days they hadn't known if the Doctor had escaped his fate, if the Tardis had managed to save him or if he had succumbed to the Angels, for days they'd been merely existing, in a world of the unknown.

"Where's River?"

Jenny looked immediately to Vastra, she could feel herself dizzying under this unexpected turn of events

"Professor Song left days ago. I'm afraid to say you have missed her" Vastra kept her cool as she spoke to the Doctor. He looked almost as raggedy as when he had first emerged from his Tardis in their living room days ago. His clothing was still stained with his own dark dried blood, his hair was a complete and utter mess. It was stuck up at all angles with a whole host of things matted within it that Vastra didn't care to make any assumptions about what they could be. In the edge of her vision her loving little Jenny looked exceptionally pale, she looked as though she would rather be anywhere, absolutely anywhere but in the presence of the Time Lord.

"And you didn't stop her?" The Doctor's tone was dark, his eyes had completely lost their shine, his glare would have been enough to turn anyone into a bumbling mess; but not Vastra, not a proud Silurian warrior.

"You never gave instruction to stop her," Madame Vastra shrugged, she could play his games all day; but he would not storm into her dwellings and attempt to bully her, nor her wife. The Doctor closed the space quickly between them, his face, so angry, was right up in hers.

"Don't!" Jenny cringed, although she didn't really know what she was protesting to. What she did know however, was that it looked as though the pair were about to get into some kind of conflict, physical or otherwise; and that wasn't what she wanted of the alien duo whom had been good friends for a very long time. It wasn't that she was fearful of what might happen to her wife, but more of what Vastra would do to the Doctor.

"Your wife left you this," Vastra turned to pick up a small device from her side table next to her folded newspaper. She held it out to the Doctor who simply stared down at it in her green scaled hand.

"A perception filter..." He mumbled before casting his eyes back up into Vastra's. She raised an eyebrow at him and stretched her hand out further for him to take the filter from her.

"I think we both know the reason why she would leave you such a thing" They once again stared each other down. Jenny wished they wouldn't, she needed to know what the silent exchange between them was. Without further hesitation the Doctor snatched the perception filter from the unmoving Silurian and marched himself out of their home.

"What's 'appened to 'im ma'am?" Vastra didn't reply, nor did she intend to. She simply offered her wife a tight embrace, something that they didn't share often unless it was in the privacy of their room, or after hours when they spent time together by the fire, "When did Professor Song give you that perception thing?"

"We'll need plenty of tea if we are to discuss that my dear" Vastra smirked her all knowing smirk and gathered up her newspaper. Her end of the bargain was now complete, all they could do was to wait for the moment when the Doctor would be reawakened. By who or what? Who knew? One thing was absolutely certain, they would see him again, although they may never know of what happened to the Doctor during the days when the skies went dark.


End file.
